PEOPLE could be seen waving flags branding Nicola Sturgeon a "nazi" as scuffles broke out between demonstrators and police at a rally in Trafalgar Square organised by opponents of coronavirus lockdown measures.
Metropolitan Police officers moved in on the protesters as they congregated near Nelson's column today.
The protesters formed human blockades opposite the officers to stop them from making arrests.
Riot police go in at Trafalgar Square protest - police telling everyone to move back pic.twitter.com/ycbbhlQzkt
— Fran Le Noury (@franlenoury) September 19, 2020
Scuffles broke out between the two sides next to the National Gallery, before officers were pushed back by the loud crowd, who began cheering and chanting.
The Resist And Act For Freedom rally saw scores of people gather holding banners and chanting "freedom".
Organisers sold t-shirts bearing 5G conspiracy theories as a range of speeches were made to the crowd.
Anti-lockdown protest in Trafalgar Square is underway. With a police presence who will be determined to shut it down.
— Darren of Plymouth 🇬🇧 (@DarrenPlymouth) September 19, 2020
Let's hope the protest numbers swell.pic.twitter.com/AHJNxlkGBd
One protester held a banner calling for the Government's Sage scientific advisers to be sacked, while another's declared Covid-19 a "hoax".
There was also a visible presence pushing the far-right QAnon conspiracy theory.
READ MORE: Stephen Reicher: 'Westminster blame culture threatens coronavirus response'
Adherents to the unfounded conspiracy theory believe that they and President Donald Trump are fighting a top-secret cabal of Satan-worshipping paedophiles running a global child sex-trafficking ring.
People at the rally could be seen wearing t-shirts bearing the acronym WWG1WGA, a reference to "where we go one, we go all," a line from the 1996 Jeff Bridges sailing adventure White Squall that they misattribute to President John F Kennedy, who was apparently also fighting the global paedophile ring.
Where We Go One We Go All. Trafalgar Square pic.twitter.com/TVwa01TB7Z
— Chris Maguire (@faungreen9) September 19, 2020
Others carried signs which read simply: "We are Q".
Addressing the crowd to huge cheers, organiser Kate Shemirani said: "We are the resistance."
Scenes from Trafalgar Square today peaceful protest against this inept government and lockdowns! 16 riot vans and police dressed in riot gear! Quite intimidating!! pic.twitter.com/vu7Z4mK9DL
— Mistralbleu (@Mistralbleu) September 19, 2020
A University College Dublin (UCD) professor told the anti-vax rally the coronavirus vaccine will "make people sick".
Professor Dolores Cahill, told the crowd: "We want freedom, truth and love."
The professor has previously been asked to step down from a leading EU scientific committee over her views, views which UCD has also publicly distanced itself from.
"I know that vaccines make people sick, you should not trust the Government, the doctors and the media, they are lying about the Covid-19 vaccine," she went on.
Large anti lockdown anti mask conspiracy theorist rally supporters harassing police in Trafalgar Square pic.twitter.com/2XF9V52VwK
— Ali 🐳 (@ali__samson) September 19, 2020
"Vaccines have not been safety-tested, they tell you when you take a vaccine you'll get a little bit of swelling, is that true? No.
"You can get multiple sclerosis and allergies, when I talk to parents, there are 12 known diseases you can get.
"If you're a parent, auntie, grandparent, cousin or neighbour, we're here to say the truth will come out."
Other conspiracy theorists, such as David Icke, are meant to speak at another protest in the square next Saturday.
The BBC's Marianna Spring is covering the protest:
At least a thousand now gathered at anti-lockdown protests in Trafalgar Square following a Save Our Children QAnon-inspired rally earlier.
— Marianna Spring (@mariannaspring) September 19, 2020
Lots of placards promoting conspiracy theories - from Covid is a hoax to Bill Gates wants to kill everyone with vaccine to QAnon!
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