Anti-royalist held for planning assault on Prince Charles

Auckland, Nov 13: A 76-year-old New Zealander who has in the past expressed strong views against Britain's royal family was produced in a court here today for planning to

and his wife Camilla.

Sam Bracanov was arrested before Prince Charles and Camilla visited Auckland's waterfront yesterday to mingle with the public. Police charged Bracanov with preparing to attack the royal couple.

After the "known anti-royalist" denied making any such preparation, the court today granted bail to the accused on the condition that he will keep a distance of at least 550 yards from Prince Charles and Camilla during their tour of the country.

However, Bracanov admitted to newspersons that he had thought of throwing diluted horse manure at Prince Charles. New Zealand Newswire quoted the 76-year-old as saying that he had bought the manure and added water to it to make the mixture almost like "porridge".

According to Bracanov, he would have thrown the horse manure because in his view Prince Charles is ineligible to be the heir to the British throne.

Referring to his intended target, Bracanov said, "He didn't qualify with his brain, he qualified with his body, and what (the) body produce(s) goes to toilet, so I would hit him with what goes to the toilet."

Incidentally, this is not the first time Bracanov has attempted to disrupt a visit of Prince Charles to New Zealand. In 1994, when the heir to the throne came to Auckland, Bracanov tried to spray air freshener on him supposedly to "remove the stink of royalty". He was fined back then for the 'sweet protest'.

Prince Charles and Camilla are in the midst of a combined Australia and New Zealand tour that marks Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee. The couple will wind up their New Zealand tour on Nov 16. The 64th birthday of Prince Charles will be celebrated tomorrow at Wellington.

OneIndia News