A woman was arrested by Scotland Police for holding an anti-monarchy placard as a sign of protest during the accession proclamation of King Charles III in Edinburgh on Sunday.

The woman, whose identity has not been revealed, was arrested outside St Giles' Cathedral, where the Queen will lie at rest until Tuesday.

According to local media reports, the proclamation ceremony held at the Castle Drawbridge in Edinburgh was met with booing.

The woman appeared with a placard that said: "F*** imperialism, abolish the monarchy," minutes before the ceremony began. The police quickly whisked her away.

However, this too was met with opposition. A man shouted: "Let her go! It's free speech!" while others shouted: "Have some respect." The ceremony did not go as planned as people could be heard booing and calling for a republic during the entire ceremony.

The proclamation was made by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, an ancient title held by a legally qualified individual who serves as head of the authority for heraldry and state ceremony within Scotland. When he called for three cheers for King Charles III, the "hip, hip" was met with boos.

"It is never the right time to speak about abolishing the monarchy, it's always offensive, it's always disgraceful and actually at the moment we've got weeks and weeks and weeks of a propaganda blitz in favour of the monarchy...and we're not allowed to say anything? I think that is ridiculous," a protester told The Guardian.

But others at the ceremony did not agree with the protesters claiming that it was "disrespectful."

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"I believe everyone does have a right to protest, but I thought it was the wrong place at the wrong time," Helen Smith, 48, from Livingston, told the PA news agency.

The police later confirmed that a woman was arrested "in connection with a breach of the peace." Another protester was arrested for shouting, "Who elected him?" during the proclamation ceremony in Oxford.

Symon Hill, 45, is a history tutor and claims that he happened to witness the event by chance on his way home and only made an observation. He said that he was taken away by the police despite protests from others.

"I find it really alarming that you can be arrested for expressing an opinion in public. I am feeling quite shaken," said Hill.

Edinburgh
Members of the Royal Regiment of Scotland outside St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh. AFP / Oli SCARFF
Queen Elizabeth II