Coronavirus: Police and protesters clash at anti-vaccine demonstration | ITV News
Protesters and police have clashed during an anti-vaccination and anti-lockdown demonstration in central London.
Hundreds of people gathered at Trafalgar Square for a “Resist And Act For Freedom” rally on Saturday afternoon, before sections got into scuffles with Metropolitan Police officers.
Dozens of officers, including some mounted on horseback, tried to break up ranks of protesters who had formed human blockades to prevent them making arrests, with loud cheering and chanting as they pushed back the police.
Rally organisers sold T-shirts bearing 5G conspiracy theories and advocating the legalisation of cannbis, while others held banners calling for government scientific advisers to be sacked and declaring coronavirus a “hoax”.
Traffic around Trafalgar Square came to a halt during the demonstration, with one protester seen apparently spitting through the open window of a taxi whose driver had beeped the horn in frustration.
Addressing the crowd to huge cheers, organiser Kate Shemirani said: “We are the resistance.”
The protest was advertised with an image showing a vaccine bottle and urging people to “Come together, resist and act”.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “Officers have been in attendance and adopted the four Es approach to explain, engage and encourage them to leave throughout today.
“Despite this, protesters have remained, putting themselves and others at risk.
“This, coupled with pockets of hostility and outbreaks of violence towards officers, means we will now be taking enforcement action to disperse those who remain in the area. Those who remain may get arrested.
“It is important to remember that we are still in the middle of a global pandemic, and the changes have been introduced to help control the spread of the virus, keep everybody safe and save lives.
“We encourage those in attendance to leave the area immediately.”
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