Authorities have detained four individuals after protesters splattered apple crumble and custard over the protective glass encasing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London earlier today.

These demonstrators, affiliated with the group Take Back Power, subsequently displayed a banner with the message: “Democracy has crumbled – tax the rich.”

Take Back Power describes itself as a newly formed, nonviolent civil resistance organization. Their aim is to pressure the UK government into creating a permanent citizens’ assembly, dubbed a House of the People, with the authority to impose taxes on extreme wealth and address the nation’s issues.

This marks the third demonstration in five days orchestrated by the group, which includes members previously involved with other activist movements like Youth Demand and Palestine Action.

Video footage released by the group captures a protester extracting a large foil tray of crumble from a bag and forcefully pressing it against the glass shielding the Imperial State Crown.

Another then repeatedly poured a tub of bright yellow custard onto the front of the case.

The demonstrators then opened their coats to show their T-shirt slogans which read ‘Take Back Power’ before one shouted ‘Democracy has crumbled’ and another shouted ‘Britain is broken. We’ve come here to the jewels of the nation to take back power. Join us at takebackpower.net.’

Metropolitan Police said four people had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, while the Jewel House at the Tower of London was closed to visitors while officers investigated.

Activists smothered apple crumble and custard over a glass case containing the Crown Jewels inside the Tower of London this morning

Metropolitan Police said four people had been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage 

A member of security approached the activists and asked them to stop after they smothered the display case in food

The glass case targeted contains the Imperial State Crown, which is worn by the monarch at the end of the coronation ceremony and at formal occasions like the State Opening of Parliament. 

It was worn by King Charles at his coronation in 2023, and was seen atop of Queen Elizabeth II‘s coffin during her lying-in-state period and subsequent state funeral at Westminster Abbey. 

The crown was originally made for the coronation of her father George VI in 1937 and contains 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, four rubies and 269 pearls and weighs over a kilogram. 

A spokesman for Met Police said: ‘Police were called at 9.48am on Saturday, 6 December, to the Tower of London following reports of criminal damage to a display case, containing the State Crown.

‘It was reported that four protesters threw suspected food onto the case before two left the scene.

‘Officers worked closely with City of London Police and security officers and four people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. They have been taken into custody.

‘The Tower has been closed to the public while the police investigation continues.’

In a statement following the action, the group said: ‘Since 2011, the poorest 10 per cent of households have paid a combined tax rate of 44 per cent on their income and wealth gains, while the richest paid 22 per cent. 

The pair unfurled a banner saying ‘democracy has crumbled, tax the rich’ after smothering the glass display case with the food items

‘Our political class, be it this government, Reform or Tory, serve the super-rich; they do not care about working people. 

‘That’s why we must demand real democracy, with ordinary people at the heart of decision making, through a citizen-led assembly that has the power to tax the rich.’ 

The group revealed one of the activists involved is Miriam Cranch, 21, a retail worker from Leeds. 

She said in a statement issued today: ‘Britain is broken because the super rich are pocketing billions, whilst working people struggle to get by.

‘This wealth inequality is leading us towards civil unrest, and it doesn’t have to be this way. Billionaires should not pay a lower tax rate on wealth they generate doing nothing, than those of us working jobs. 

Just days ago Take Back Power activists emptied bags of manure under the Christmas tree at The Ritz in Mayfair in protest against the ‘obscenely wealthy’ 

Security guards swiftly removed the protesters after the manure was emptied under the tree

Among those taking part in the protests were an NHS worker and a former doctor

‘It’s time ordinary people get a say on how to tax wealth with a permanent House of the People.’

According to a LinkedIn profile, Miriam was undertaking a BSc degree at the University of Portsmouth in computer programming and design until September 2025.

On Instagram, Miriam’s profile states that they are a ‘temporarily failed student’.

A second activist at the Tower of London today was named as Zahra Ali, 19, a student from London. She said: ‘Our country is crumbling before our eyes! We have homeless people dying on the very streets that King Charles passed on his way to the coronation, whilst there are more empty homes than unhoused people in this country.’

‘It’s time the ultra-rich pay their fair share. We demand a permanent House of the People. It’s time to take back power, tax the rich and fix Britain!’

Just days ago Take Back Power activists emptied bags of manure under the Christmas tree at The Ritz in Mayfair in protest against the ‘obscenely wealthy’ before being dragged away by security guards.

Three people were seen gathering around the tree at The Ritz in Mayfair while a bemused security guard looked on, before pulling out three plastic bags and emptying them onto the ground.

The incident unfolded at 12.05pm on Wednesday in front of shocked members of the public and staff.

In footage shared on social media, the activists gathered round the tree with large brown satchels and cases.

They then pulled out clear plastic bags containing the manure and tipped them over the carpet.

On Monday night Take Back Power officially launched itself by projecting messages onto the Houses of Parliament

A large pile of the stinking substance was left atop the hotel’s luxurious floral rug as other guards rushed in to pull the protesters away.

One man was seen being lifted away from the tree before emptying his bag, but determined not to be foiled, the others proceeded to finish the job for him.

Following Wednesday’s incident, Met Police said no arrests had been made and that the investigation was ongoing. 

On Monday night the group officially launched itself by projecting messages onto the Houses of Parliament, which included ‘Inequality is growing’, ‘the rich are killing us’ and ‘democracy is captured’.

They then delivered an ‘ultimatum letter’ to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday demanding the government take ‘necessary action’ to ‘address spiralling wealth inequality in the UK’. 

A Take Back Power spokesman said: ‘We’ve had enough with runaway inequality and the rich pocketing billions whilst ordinary people struggle to get by. 

‘The super-rich are the reason we have kids going to bed hungry, unaffordable homes and s*** in our rivers.

‘They are profiting from killing children in Gaza and heating the world to boiling point. We feel powerless to change things, because they corrupt our politics and own our media.’

This is a breaking news story, more follows.