Protest in London over virus restrictions
A protester holds up a placard in front of police officers during a “Resist and Act for Freedom” protest against a mandatory coronavirus vaccine, wearing masks, social distancing and a second lockdown, in Trafalgar Square, London, Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
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LONDON (AP) — Police in London have clashed with protesters at a rally organized by opponents of restrictions aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus.
Scuffles broke out Saturday as police moved in to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who gathered in central London’s Trafalgar Square. Some of the protesters formed blockades to stop officers from making arrests, and traffic was brought to a halt in the busy area.
The rally included dozens of people holding banners and placards and chanting “freedom.”
Britain recently imposed a ban on all social gatherings of more than six people this week in a bid to tackle a steep rise in coronavirus cases.
Britain has 338,420 confirmed cases and 41,821 deaths, the fifth-highest death toll in the world, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.
