Anti-lockdown protesters today clashed with police after at least 15,000 demonstrators descended on Trafalgar Square as part of a rally against coronavirus measures in the UK.
Attendees of the 'We Do Not Consent' rally ditched their masks as they crammed into the London square this afternoon, despite Metropolitan Police pleading with people to stick to Britain's coronavirus restrictions.
Crowds, who were also warned that violence would not be tolerated at the gathering, carried placards reading 'is this freedom?' and 'end the crazy rules' as they flocked to central London to protest against Britain's coronavirus restrictions.
Piers Corbyn, 73, brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, was among the crowd alongside conspiracy theorist David Icke, 68, who has made a series of false claims linking Covid-19 to 5G technology.
Demonstrators ditched their face masks and ignored social distancing measures as they shouted 'we will win' and waved flags, before Metropolitan Police arrived to shut down the event as crowds 'have not complied with the conditions of their risk assessment'.
Skirmishes broke out between protesters and police later in the day, with those in attendance chanting 'shame on you' and shoving at officers as they passed through the crammed crowd.
In one moment, a woman appeared to be knocked to the ground as a struggle broke out behind her.
In a statement, Scotland Yard said the breach had 'put people in danger of transmitting the virus' which voided their risk assessment and left those at the event 'no longer exempt' from Covid-19 restrictions.
'We are now asking those in Trafalgar Square to leave,' the force said. 'Officers will be engaging with crowds and informing them of this development. By leaving now, you can keep yourself safe and avoid any enforcement action being taken by officers.'
The Met also confirmed officers had been injured 'while engaging' with demonstrators, some of whom opted to move to Hyde Park rather than disperse.
The rally comes as almost 18million Britons - a quarter of the population - will be living under tighter coronavirus restrictions by 6pm tomorrow, after the UK announced a record 6,874 new cases in the last 24 hours.
Those in Leeds were banned from mixing with other households at home or in pubs, bars, restaurants and parks from midnight, as Wigan, Stockport and Blackpool also saw draconian measures brought into force.
Households in the Welsh town of Llanelli are set to be banned from entering each other's homes and gardens from 6pm today, with the nation's two biggest cities of Cardiff and Swansea to follow suit in the next 24 hours. Residents will also be banned from entering or leaving the areas without a 'reasonable excuse'.
Britain recorded 24 deaths today in a preliminary count as the UK's fatality number continues to creep upwards. NHS England announced 20 deaths, while three were recorded in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. None were recorded in Scotland.
In other coronavirus developments today:
- Scientists are considering a plan to ask everyone over the age of 45 to shield to stop the spread of Covid-19;
- Britain has been warned to expect 100 coronavirus deaths a day within the next three to four weeks;
- Government sources claimed Boris Johnson's 10pm pubs curfew was based on 'back of a fag packet calculations' and 'NOT advocated by SAGE';
- The restrictions imposed in March could kill 75,000 in five years, including 31,000 deaths not related to Covid, according to documents submitted to SAGE;
- Unions call for in-person university classes to be suspended as 3,000 students are placed in lockdown;
- MailOnline analysis reveals Britain's outbreak began to surge after 'Super Saturday' reopening;
- Sadiq Khan calls for Londoners to be stopped from visiting friends and family.
