On Friday, a student who last year attacked King Charles III with eggs while on a walkabout and then claimed he was reacting to state brutality was found guilty of threatening behavior.
In the northeastern city of York, Patrick Thelwell, 23, tossed “at least five” eggs in the direction of Charles as he interacted with members of the public.
He refuted the charge, claiming in court that he had used “low-level violence” in self-defense against “the violence carried out by the British state” and that this was “lawful” under British legal.
Thelwell was found guilty of the allegation by Judge Paul Goldspring, the head magistrate of the court in York, who stated that Thelwell “intended to cause King Charles to believe that immediate unlawful violence would be used against him.”
On November 9, the King and Queen Camilla visited the area to formally dedicate a statue of the late Queen Elizabeth II at York Minster.
When Thelwell fired five eggs, they “came very close to hitting King Charles,” according to testimony given at York magistrates’ court during the trial, while they were being received by local nobles.
Before being arrested by police, Thelwell was overheard booing and yelling, “This country was built on the blood of slaves,” and “Not my king.”
The audience responded by yelling “God save the King” and “Shame on you” at Thelwell.
Thelwell received a sentence of 100 hours of unpaid community service.
