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Police urged protesters to disperse under social distancing laws on Saturday after several thousand protesters against lockdown, masks and vaccinations gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square.
The Unite For Freedom rally saw a large crowd without masks carrying signs and banners that included “World Joke Organization” and “Masks are muzzles.”
Many demanded an end to government health measures and the right to contract coronavirus, if it existed, without state interference.
Key speakers at the event included conspiracy theorist David Icke and Piers Corbyn, brother of former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The protesters ranged from skeptics of Covid-19 to those who believe the disease is real but was created in a laboratory and others who say the disease is genuine but no worse than the flu.
There were also QAnon supporters, a handful of “Free Julian Assange” boards of directors, and several who claimed that NHS Test and Trace is an attempt by the government to monitor citizens.
“Nothing is more important since time is very short,” said an event flyer. “The government is voting for a two-year extension of its emergency Covid-19 powers in September 2020 – the first six months have been a disaster, this must not be allowed to continue.”
The Metropolitan Police published an open letter warn that anyone who attends a meeting of more than 30 people may be at risk of committing a crime.
“Police officers are with a group of protesters in Whitehall,” the Met wrote on Twitter. “We have already provided the group with a letter explaining that they are at risk of committing a crime. Now we are asking the group to disperse. “
Later, officers said that a man in his 70s had been arrested at 3.25 p.m. on suspicion of violating the new 2020 Health Protection Regulations.
A spokesman for the force said the man remained in custody and an investigation is underway to identify more people who may have violated the new regulations.
A 25-year-old man was also arrested earlier at 1:30 p.m. on suspicion of a crime of public order and was taken into custody.
