Police hit protesters chanting "Take back your freedom" as they marched through Clapham on Saturday to call for opposition to national lockdown measures ordering people to stay home.
The protest, organized by the StandupX group, was attended by a few dozen people who marched from Clapham Common in south London and then down the main street asking motorists to blow their horns.
After reaching the Argos store in Clapham, an online video showed brief brawls between protesters and the Metropolitan Police when they appeared to be arresting a man. At least 10 officers were seen around the protesters.
More brawls then broke out outside a nearby Sainsbury's store when officers made another arrest. Police said in a statement posted on Twitter that they had arrested five people.
It comes after city police warned officials to take action against protesters and punish them if they are first caught violating the lockdown rules.
New lockdown measures were put in place over the past week, instructing Brits to stay at home other than to exercise and go to work when they cannot work from home.
In an open letter, the troop said they were aware of the groups that were about to gather to protest.
The letter warned officials would be doing "reasonable enforcement" and it said, "we are still in the middle of a global pandemic".
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Police hit protesters chanting "Take back your freedom" as they marched through Clapham on Saturday to call for opposition to national lockdown measures ordering people to stay home
After arriving at the Argos store in Clapham, an online video showed brief brawls between protesters and police when officers arrested a man. At least 10 officers were seen around the protesters
The protest, organized by the StandupX group, was attended by a few dozen people who marched from Clapham Common in south London and then down the main street asking motorists to blow their horns
During Saturday's anti-lockdown march, a woman shouted to protesters from her car: “A pandemic is going on while another bystander shouted“ idiots ”.
At least six police cars were on site.
The anti-lockdown group StandUpX announced the demonstration online on Friday.
They said on Twitter: & # 39; MARCH MARCH 9TH JANUARY IN THE THOUSANDS 12 PM LEAVE CLAPHAM TOGETHER.
"When you're fed up with bans, new laws, 97% false positive RTCPR tests, authorized exaggerated deaths, loss of your business, extended hospital appointments, march with us tomorrow."
The Met said on Twitter: “Five people were arrested today during an anti-lockdown protest in Clapham Common.
“Gatherings for the purpose of protest are no exception to the rules. Those who wish to gather today will be asked to stay home or face enforcement action from officials. & # 39;
The Met's open letter, warning Londoners not to protest, states: “The MPS strongly advises people not to attend any gatherings to protect themselves and others.
"We are still in the middle of a global pandemic."
The statement added: “Police officers will take appropriate enforcement action if necessary.
This man was shown smiling as his arms were held by two officials in Clapham during Saturday's protest
Police hit protesters chanting "Take back your freedom" as they marched through Clapham on Saturday to call for opposition to national lockdown measures ordering people to stay home. Pictured: Police were pictured and arrested
New lockdown measures were put in place over the past week, instructing Brits to stay at home other than to exercise and go to work when they cannot work from home
During Saturday's anti-lockdown march, a woman shouted to protesters from her car: “A pandemic is going on while another bystander shouted“ idiots ”.
This man was arrested by officials on Saturday during the anti-lockdown protest in Clapham, south London
At least six police cars were on site. The anti-lockdown group StandUpX announced the demonstration online on Friday
& # 39; It is your responsibility to review the current position and to ensure that you are not committing a crime by attending a gathering.
"We urge everyone to arrange a meeting to inform your local police."
Police were recently criticized for taking crackdown on the lockdown by threatening to fine people £ 200 for playing in the snow.
Elsewhere, officials came across two friends who had driven just seven miles to a beauty spot.
West Mercia Police Department Broseley and Much Wenlock tweeted Thursday: “There were two reports of snowballs thrown between 11pm and 11.30pm last night.
"This is obviously not a legitimate reason not to be home. This behavior is likely to result in a fixed £ 200 fine for violating the lockdown rules."
Meanwhile, Derbyshire Police fined British Airways beautician Jessica Allen and her flight attendant, Eliza Moore, £ 200 each for taking a socially distant walk on Foremark Reservoir which, although not their closest park is only 10 minutes from your home.
And the government launched a new campaign blitz on Friday to get people to abide by the lockdown rules.
UK Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty has appeared in advertisements urging us to stay home as the new variant of the virus has spread across the country.
Two terrifying new posters also show a patient dying in hospital and a health care worker wearing full PPE, warning the British, “If you go out, you can spread it. People will die. & # 39;
The police warned them not to punish people for the first time they are caught with no face covering or being outside for no good reason.
Scotland Yard said they would stop ordinary Brits on the street and wonder why they are not in their homes.
Anyone unable to come up with a reasonable apology will be fined up to £ 6,400 and anyone caught in the required areas without face covering will be charged with an immediate criminal complaint.
On Wednesday, police arrested 28 protesters for violating restrictions, fined four friends £ 800 for driving the same car to McDonald’s, and police drove over drivers to check where they were going.
On Friday, London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a "major incident" in the capital over the rapid spread of Covid-19 that threatens to overwhelm hospitals.
British Airways' Jessica Allen and her flight attendant, Eliza Moore, were fined last week for taking a socially distant stroll together.
Ms. Allen, 27, said she assumed "someone was murdered" when she saw a police van, a police car and several officers at the entrance to the open space.
"It was a short journey and only took about ten minutes," she said. I really thought someone had been murdered or a child had disappeared; The place is usually so quiet.
“Next, my car is surrounded. I got out of my car and thought, "There's no way they're coming to talk to us."
They immediately start questioning us. One of them started reading my rights and I looked at my friend and thought, "This must be a joke."
I said we came in separate cars, even parked two spaces away, and even brought our own drinks. He said, "You can't do that because it's classified as a picnic."
"Moving to another county seems to have caused the problem, but the Derbyshire border is only a minute from my house."
The police were filmed and imagined holding a man against the entire Argos store when they arrested him
This policewoman was running down the street towards protesters in Clapham
This man was yelled when he was arrested outside a shop in Sainsbury's
He was then led away by two female officers, followed closely by four male officers
This man was also arrested and seen in handcuffs before the police took him away
The protest started at noon in Clapham Common. Police were on hand immediately to make sure no coronavirus restrictions were violated
Ms. Moore, 27 years old and while working for BA a makeup company, said she was "stunned at the time," did not challenge the police and gave her details so they could file a firm criminal complaint.
"Seeing just one policeman is pretty scary for some people, and we really didn't expect to be approached and to find out we'd done anything wrong," she said.
"We don't want to get away with breaking the rule, but it seems a little unfair that you can be punished for something so vague."
The two were also told that their cups of Starbucks mint tea they bought while driving through were not allowed because it was classified as a "picnic".
The guidelines for the current lockdown say that people can travel to exercise "while they are close", but do not specify how far people can travel.
Police are talking to people in Clapham to ask if they are part of the anti-lockdown protest or if they are out and about or going to work
Police vans were parked on Clapham's main drag as officials responded to Saturday's protest
A police officer handcuffs a protester as he is held outside Clapham's Sainsbury's store during the protest against the lockdown
This man had a smile on his face that he saw with his hands in handcuffs while surrounded by officers
Before the protest spread to Clapham High Street, officials were seen speaking to members of the public
Derbyshire Police insisted that the distance was "at the discretion" of each officer and that the trip was "not in accordance with the rules".
The force, previously criticized for its persistent approach to enforcing restrictions, released drone footage of dog walkers in the Peak District in March to "shame" them.
And in March, the troop threw black dye into a famous blue lagoon in Harpur Hill, near Buxton, to prevent Instagrammers from posing for snaps during the lockdown.
In Aberdeen last week, two police officers knocked on a family's front door following complaints from a neighbor and stormed in when a woman shouted, "This is my house, get out of my house" and children shouted in the background.
Two women, aged 18 and 48, and a 43-year-old man were charged in connection with assaulting police officers and threatening and abusive behavior.
The footage immediately sparked controversy. Critics accused police of "suppressive" behavior of storming into a private home – while others argued they were just trying to enforce the Covid rules.
Officials were seen at Euston stopping passengers to ask where they were going. Barrister Alex Wright tweeted, "Good to see Lockdown being taken seriously, but a sad sight that I would have dreamed of seeing in London."
Snowdonia National Park has now closed all of its parking spaces to visitors to "protect our communities and the NHS" as officials beat up the public for "disobeying" the law.
To clarify the guidelines, Leicester City Council's Public Health Director Professor Ivan Browne urged residents today to "visit your next park, not your most beautiful park," Leicester Live reported.
(tagsToTranslate) Dailymail (t) Nachrichten (t) London (t) Coronavirus Lockdowns (t) Argos
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