LONDON: A man accused of grabbing the flag on Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin wanted to check for himself that she was indeed dead, a London court heard on Tuesday.

Muhammad Khan, 28, allegedly rushed up to the coffin and grabbed the Royal Standard on Friday night.

He was arrested and appe­ared at Westminster Magist­rates Court on Tuesday, char­ged with two public order offences.

“The defendant had reac­hed Westminster Hall. He was then seen by officers, who were present, to appro­ach the coffin,” prosecutor Luke Staton told the court.

“He stepped off the carpet in the direction of the catafalque, then grabbed hold of the Royal Standard flag draped over the coffin with both of his hands.” Khan was quickly detained, arrested and interviewed by police, the court heard.

“The defendant did exp­ress the idea that the Queen is not dead and that he approached the coffin because he wanted to check for himself,” Staton said. The court heard that Khan was suffering from delusions.

District Judge Michael Snow told him: “At the time when you were in Westminster you didn’t accept that the Queen was dead and that was the reason you were moving towards the coffin to satisfy yourself that she was.”

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2022