London: London police detained dozens of people on Saturday after thousands turned out in the British capital ‘LONDON’ to protest against ongoing coronavirus-lockdown regulations, with the city’s police force in the spotlight over its officer’s control after a series of recent events.
The Metropolitan Police Service announced it had made 36 arrests, most for breaching months-old coronavirus restrictions that outlaw leaving home except for a limited number of purposes.
Various thousand people were expected to have gathered for the protests, which began on Saturday at lunchtime at Hyde Park.
After the crowd paraded through central London, a crowd of around 100 returned to the park, where police officials declared they threw missiles at respective officers.
“Many were injured as a consequence of targeted assaults,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who directed the policing operation, stated in a statement.
“It is unacceptable and sorrowful that police officers enforcing restrictions that are there to shield us all were the victims of violent aggression and agitation.”
England’s COVID-19 lockdown regulations have been in place since early January when Britain saw an upsurge in infection rates, hospitalisations and deaths.
Since then, the situation has enhanced markedly, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson last month described a gradual easing of the limitations, with the stringent stay-at-home scheme set to end later this month.
Anti-lockdown protest by hundreds or even thousands have happened regularly during the coronavirus pandemic, often resulting in a small number of arrests.
However, the police answer to Saturday’s protests was under particular investigation in light of the outrage over the Met’s approach of a vigil last weekend for a woman who was allegedly abducted and murdered by a member of the same respective force.
On that occasion, police scuffled with the predominantly female group of numerous hundred and physically restrained demonstrators, detaining four people.
According to records, the paper accessed under freedom of data laws, 119 of the 594 complaints were confirmed after investigation.
Meantime, recent incidents have also sparked revived debate about legal curbs on demonstrations during the coronavirus pandemic.
A twitter user stated, “This is by far the BIGGEST UK protest I have seen. They will not be able to police these crowds.”
