Protestors Bring Tank To Parliament In Campaign Against Lockdown Gym Closures

Protestors have brought a tank to the Houses of Parliament in London to campaign against gym closures in the forthcoming lockdown. You can watch footage from the protest here:

Gyms across England will be forced to close their doors from tomorrow (5 November) until 2 December as part of a new national lockdown, which aims to lower Covid-19 infection rates across the country.

However, many people feel gyms should stay open due to the health benefits they offer, and sports nutrition company Grenade has let its support be known with a tank, no less.

Former England rugby player James Haskell has also joined the protest.

Explaining the rationale behind the protest, Grenade said: "This isn't just 'another sector'.

"It directly supports our health and mental and physical wellbeing - the latter particularly important with mental health charity Mind detailing it could well be 'the greatest test of our mental health this year'.

"We agree unreservedly."

It continued: "With fitness well documented for its restorative effects in reducing stress, anxiety and depression, it's imperative that people can continue to exercise regularly over the winter months."

During the impending lockdown, people will still be allowed to exercise outdoors, and unlike during the previous national lockdown, they may also exercise with one person from another household.

In the House of Commons on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson was asked by Bracknell MP James Sunderland whether sporting venues that could observe social distancing, such as golf courses, might be exempted from the rules.

Johnson replied: "I must apologise to my honourable friend for not being able to offer the house a huge list of exemptions to the rules we've set out.

"Because once you unpick at one thing, alas, the effectiveness of the whole package is compromised.

"That's why I want everyone to work together for the next four weeks to get the R rate under control so that we can open things up again in time for December."

Topics: UK News, lockdown, Coronavirus

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey