Police in London made numerous arrests yesterday after a large crowd of anti-lockdown protestors gathered near Westminster Bridge in London.
Witnesses said the demonstrators were shouting various chants, with some mentioning 5G - which conspiracy theorists say is linked to the outbreak of coronavirus, despite the government saying there is 'no evidence' to suggest this.
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Metropolitan Police confirmed the force had been alerted to people congregating in breach of coronavirus regulations in Lambeth Walk, which is near Westminster Bridge.
They told Sky News: "A number of people were arrested and fixed penalty notices were issued.
"Officers remain in the area as they continue to work to keep the public safe."
One witness wrote on Twitter: "Anti-lockdown protestors are here in London. Shouting things like 'Fascism', 'Sheep' and 'Fear is used to control us'. Disgusting. #Covid_19 #lockdownuk #lockdownextension.
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Another, who works for Sky Sports News, also told the outlet: "We could hear them chanting something as we approached but couldn't really make it out.
"There were quite a few police there and they were just talking to them and asking them to go home.
"I heard one of the officers telling one of them they had been there for an hour and needed to leave.
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"One of the protesters was saying something like 'I've still got human rights'. There was also mention of 5G."
The government has previously shut down conspiracy theories linking 5G and coronavirus as 'disgusting fake news' and 'completely false'.
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Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said in a daily press briefing last month: "That is just nonsense, dangerous nonsense as well."
The tough response was echoed by NHS England's national medical director Stephen Powis, who said: "The 5G story is complete and utter rubbish, it's nonsense, it's the worst kind of fake news. The reality is that the mobile phone networks are absolutely critical to all of us, particularly at a time when we are asking people to stay at home."
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He added: "Those are also the phone networks that are used by our emergency services and our health workers and I'm absolutely outraged, absolutely disgusted that people would be taking action against the very infrastructure that we need to respond to this health emergency.
"It is absolute and utter rubbish and I can't condemn it in stronger terms than that."
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Topics: Police, UK News, lockdown, News, Coronavirus