
On Thursday police in London have arrested a man for allegedly defacing a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II hanging in Westminster Abby.
The man was a member of "Fathers 4 Justice" a group that works with fathers who have lost custody and are denied access to their children. The member of the protest group is accused of spray painting the word "HELP" across a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II.
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"It was basically a dad that was desperate to see his kids in the run up to Father's Day," Jolly Stanesby the campaign director for "Father's 4 Justice" told the Associated Press. "He decided to ask for help."
"This was not an official F4J protest," Stanesby added in a statement. "We understand the father was trying to write a message to the Queen begging for help before Father's Day."
The 41-year-old man accused of vandalizing the portrait was taken to a London police station and held on suspicion of criminal damage.
"Fathers 4 Justice" is known for being a rabblerousing group, sometimes sending members dressed as superheroes to climb the walls of Buckingham Place.
In 2004 the Washington Post says the group caused a panic when they threw purple powder at Prime Minister Tony Blair.
The vandalized portrait of Queen Elizabeth II was painted by Ralph Heims an Australian born artist. It was presented to the Queen as part of the celebration of her Diamond jubilee, which marked 60-years on the throne.
The Washington Post describes the Elizabeth II painting as 9 by 11 feet and displaying the monarch standing on the spot in Westminster Abby where she was crowned in June of 1953.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is the second longest reigning monarch in English history. Her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria will hold on to the record for another three years. Queen Victoria ruled for 63-years and her great-great-granddaughter is catching up to her.
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