Eubank Arrested After Whitehall Protest Over Prince's Deployment

Former world boxing champion Chris Eubank was arrested yesterday after driving his truck up and down Whitehall in a protest against the decision to send Prince Harry to serve in Iraq.

Eubank, dressed in a cream suit and silver tie, was arrested for an alleged breach of the peace and taken to Charing Cross police station after the horn-blaring protest involving a large, black lorry with his name emblazoned on the side.

A banner on the back of the truck proclaimed: "Blair, don't send our young prince to your catastrophic illegal war to make it look plausible."

Scotland Yard confirmed: "We have arrested a man in Whitehall for breach of the peace."

Eubank's lawyer, Mel Goldberg, said he was aware of his client's arrest but had no further details. Eubank, who lives in Hove, East Sussex, was seen on BBC News 24 talking to police officers before apparently becoming involved in an argument and being escorted to a police van.

The former middleweight and super middleweight champion has an HGV licence and owns an American Peterbilt 379 truck cab as well as the only Hummer in Britain. Since his boxing career came to an end, he has revelled in his status as one of Britain's more eccentric celebrities, often dressing in jodhpurs, bowler hat and riding boots, and wearing a monocle.

In 2005 he was found guilty of illegally driving off in a beer lorry without the owner's consent. The vehicle had been blocking the way as he took his children to school in Brighton - and the draymen refused to move it. He was cleared of the more serious offence of aggravated vehicle taking, and given an absolute discharge.