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Sixteen people have been arrested and 22 fined after a crowd of anti-lockdown protesters marched in South London.
A group of about 30 people made their way to Clapham High Street on Saturday afternoon chanting “take back your freedom.”
Peers in the audience responded with fury, with a woman yelling from her car: “There is a pandemic, you idiots.”
Police arrest man during anti-lockdown protest on Clapham Common
/ Pennsylvania )The force added that 22 fixed penalty notices were also issued.
Dozens of officers were dispatched to Clapham Common to try to contain the protest, which was organized by the StandupX group and began shortly after noon.
Passersby called the unmasked protesters “idiots” as they headed east toward Stockwell.
The small group of protesters eventually returned to Clapham Common Park before being dispersed by police.
Figures from the NHS England showed that the number of Covid patients in London hospitals is 7,277, 32% more than the previous week.
The Met tweeted: “12 people have been arrested for violating Covid rules in a protest at #ClaphamCommon for today. All have been arrested.
Others present scattered. The police operation continues. Gathering for the purpose of a protest is not an exemption from the rules and individuals wishing to attend may face enforcement action. “
A protester is arrested by police on Clapham Common
/ fake images )Meanwhile, three people were arrested on suspicion of violating lockdown rules in a separate protest in Bournemouth city center, Dorset police said.
Officers issued at least seven fixed sanction notices during the event, the force added.
Dorset Police Chief James Vaughan said: “I condemn the actions of these selfish individuals who deliberately circumvented lockdown restrictions to carry out this protest activity.
“Their reckless actions come at a time when our county is facing its highest number of cases since the beginning of this pandemic.”
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The group was also involved in a protest in Parliament Square earlier this week in which 21 people were arrested, and their social media accounts called for “thousands” to join the march.
However, an open letter from Scotland Yard said the force was “aware” of groups seeking to gather to protest and strongly advised people not to attend any public gatherings.
It read: “MPS strongly advises people not to attend any meeting, for their own protection and that of others.
“We are still in the middle of a global pandemic.”
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The statement added: “Police officers will take appropriate enforcement action when necessary.
“It is your responsibility to check the current position and make sure you are not committing a crime by participating in a meeting.
“We urge anyone who organizes a meeting to report it to the local police.”
The force said the public should expect officers to be more “inquisitive” about why they are “away from home” during England’s third national lockdown.
People who do not wear masks when they should “and without good reason” can also be “fined, not reasoned.”
