"Violent scuffles" have broken out in central London between riot police and activists trying to protect local statues from Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters.
According to Sky News, "there are elements within here who have already clashed with the police."
BREAKING: Police have clashed with counter-protesters in central London, where groups say they are protecting statues from anti-racism activists.
— SkyNews (@SkyNews)
Get the latest on the UK protests: https://t.co/UHvyAULQ73 pic.twitter.com/VxEbJmufr3
Counter-demonstrators clashed with police close to Westminster Bridge, with glass bottles thrown towards the officers and their vans.
Large crowds gathered in Parliament Square and marched towards the covered Churchill monument. -Sky News
Parliament square today pic.twitter.com/bmFb1P82Pv
— Jamie Roberts (@visitjamie)
Violence against police this afternoon at Parliament square. pic.twitter.com/e9HZJHzbAK
— Vinnie O'Dowd (@VinnieoDowd)
It wasn't all violent, however, as most of the protesters were peaceful - singing Rule Britannia and the national anthem while surrounding monuments such as a boarded up state of Winston Churchill.
The media will only show you scenes of violence from Parliament Square but none of the thousands of people who've come out to peacefully protest their opposition to the far-left and its efforts to destroy the United Kingdom. pic.twitter.com/UWXaZAJ9tx
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray)
The classes were described as Home Secretary Priti Patel as "thoroughly unacceptable thuggery."
"Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law," she tweeted, adding "Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated. Coronavirus remains a threat to us all. Go home to stop the spread of this virus & save lives."
Looks like that's out the window...
