London: At least 33 people were arrested during anti-lockdown protests in London on Saturday, according to police.
Under COVID-19 regulations, protesting is not a “reasonable excuse” for leaving home. People still gathered at Hyde Park and marched along central streets toward government buildings on Whitehall and parliament.
“As of 18:45hrs, 33 people have been arrested by officers policing the gatherings in central London. Most of the arrests have been for breaching COVID regulations,” the Metropolitan Police tweeted.
Ahead of the rallies, over 60 members of parliament wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel asking her to lift the pandemic-linked ban on protests. It came after police were criticized for using force against women during a March 13 vigil for Sarah Everard.
Everard, 33 years of age, vanished as she walked home from a friend’s house in the London region of Clapham on March 3 evening. Later, her remains were discovered in an area of Kent woodland. A Met police officer, 48, was charged with her kidnap and murder.
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