Police and protesters clash in London with 16 arrested during anti-vaccine rally
- Among the speakers in the square was conspiracy theorist David Icke, who took the stage to loud applause
- Protesters held up placards with messages including ‘No to mandatory vaccines’ and ‘Covid-1984’
Sixteen people were arrested and nine police officers injured on Saturday after hundreds of anti-lockdown and anti-vaccination protesters rallied in central London.
The crowd gathered in Trafalgar Square, listening to speeches, until the Metropolitan Police dispersed them, sparking some clashes with protesters.
Many demonstrators walked to join another group in Hyde Park, where the police again ordered them to disperse after warning that they had breached Britain's Covid-19 law, which allows protests subject to social-distancing rules.
The police said they also dispersed protesters in Hyde Park on Saturday night.
The 16 people arrested at the two sites were suspected of offences including breaching coronavirus regulations, assault, public order offences and violent disorder, they said.