More than 30 people have been arrested after violent scuffles broke out between police and protesters at an anti-vaxx rally.
Hundreds of demonstrators clashed with riot police in London as they raged against coronavirus restrictions and mass vaccinations.
Protesters chanted ‘freedom’ and ‘save our rights, no mandated vaccines’ as they dismissed the coronavirus pandemic as a ‘scam’.
Scenes at Trafalgar Square became violent as police tried to disperse the crowd with their batons drawn.
Protesters formed human blockades as officers went to make arrests.
One wave of officers were outnumbered and pushed back by the angry crowd.
Dozens of officers, some on mounted horseback, were then brought in for a second attempt to move the protesters on before fighting broke out in front of the National Gallery.
At least one officer was punched and kicked as he clashed with the crowd.
As traffic was brought to a standstill, one protester apparently spat in the open window of a taxi after the driver blared his horn.
Organiser Kate Shemirani declared ‘we are the resistance’ as she spurred the crowd on.
T-shirts bearing 5G conspiracy theories and calls to legalise the sale of cannabis.
Banners also called for the Government’s scientific advisers to be sacked and declared Covid-19 a ‘hoax’ and a ‘plandemic’.
"At 4pm police came running from the north west end of Trafalgar Square towards the rear of the #NoNewNormal stage. They were blocked by protesters who surged forward to meet the surprise attack. pic.twitter.com/hkIV6cIBVE— Damien Gayle (@damiengayle) September 19, 2020"
The protest – called the ‘Resist and Act for Freedom Rally’ – was advertised with an image showing a vaccine bottle and urging people to ‘Come together, resist and act’.
The Met Police warned protesters to immediately leave Trafalgar Square.
The force said: ‘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.’
