Police arrested 107 protesters after ten officers were hurt in violent clashes at Kill the Bill march in London last night - while seven were arrested in Bristol where demonstrators blocked the M32 motorway
- Seven people were arrested in Bristol last night as more than 1,000 people attended a Kill the Bill protest
- The scenes were mirrored across the country with protests in London, Birmingham, Liverpool and other cities
- In London, ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spoke to crowds, describing the policing bill as 'slippery slope'
- Close by, anti-lockdown demonstrators staged their own protest, supported by Mr Corbyn's brother, Piers
- Projectiles were thrown as police pushed protesters away and force said 10 officer were injured in the scuffle
- Police said 'small minority' of protesters remained at Whitehall this evening and that arrests were being madePolice arrested 107 protesters during violent clashes at the Kill the Bill demonstrations in London on Saturday which saw ten officers injured.
One woman was detained on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon while others were arrested for breaching the peace, violent disorder, assault and breaking Covid rules, police said.
In Bristol, which has become the centre-point for demonstrations against the bill, protesters blocked the M32 as more than 1,000 flooded the city.
Seven were arrested amid outbreaks of violence with a dispersal order issued for Bristol city centre.
Protestors chanted, banged drums and waved placards at the demo to rail against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which will impose certain conditions on future protests.
The bill would give police in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on non-violent protests - including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance, with those convicted liable to fines or jail terms.
The new legislation has proved controversial with several demonstrations held against it - many turning violent.
Throughout Saturday, thousands of people took part in more protests across the country with demonstrations in Newcastle, Birmingham, Liverpool and Dorset as well as in London and Bristol.
More than 1,000 people attended Bristol's Kill the Bill protest, according to Avon and Somerset Police, who said it had reopened the M32 motorway after it was closed to inbound traffic at junction 3 when protesters sat on the road.
By Saturday evening, the Metropolitan Police said that 'a small minority' of protesters, who were not social distancing, were still in London's Parliament Square. Arrests were being made after they turned down requests to leave, police said.
The Metropolitan Police later said that ten officers had been injured, 'none of these are believed to be serious', and that 26 people had been arrested for a variety of offences including assault on police and breach of the peace.
A woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon after a knife was recovered.
In Bristol, protesters blocked the M32 as more than 1,000 flooded the city. The protest was attended by around 1,500 people
Demonstrators walk on a motorway during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in Bristol yesterday evening. Avon and Somerset Police said that part of the M32 motorway has been closed to traffic
A woman can be seen holding what appears to be a sharpened piece of wood during the Kill the Bill protest in central London on Saturday
Police stand together during the Bristol protest last night. The city has become the centre-point for demonstrations against the bill
Protestors tussle with police in Bristol yesterday evening during a demonstration against a new policing powers bill
More than 1,000 people attended Bristol's Kill the Bill protest, according to Avon and Somerset Police, who added that the event was mostly peaceful
The new legislation has proved controversial with several demonstrations held against it - many turning violent with Bristol seemingly the main battleground
Protestors chanted, banged drums and waved placards at the demo to rail against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which will impose certain conditions on future protests
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stood next to a statue of Mahatma Gandhi as he spoke at the rally, describing the Government-proposed bill as a 'very dangerous, slippery slope' and defending the right to protest.
He said: 'If we don't protest, things don't change', which drew cheers and applause from onlookers. Close by, anti-lockdown demonstrators staged their own protest, supported by Mr Corbyn's brother, Piers.
Commander Ade Adelekan, who described it as a 'challenging day for officers', said: 'While our advice to people remains not to attend large gatherings, the vast majority of people who attended central London yesterday, adhered to social distancing, and engaged and listened to my officers.
'However, as the afternoon wore on it became clear that a small number of people were intent on remaining to cause disruption to law-abiding Londoners.
'Despite repeated instructions from officers to leave, they did not and, amid increasing levels of disorder, arrests were made.
'We should not allow the behaviour of a few individuals who attend these events with the purpose of committing criminal acts to taint the good behaviour of the majority who attended yesterday.' Dozens of police with riot helmets had arrived in Westminster as protesters continued the stand-off with officers.
The majority of protesters from the Kill the Bill demonstration, who gathered at Parliament Square earlier in the day, had dispersed several hours earlier.
Those still present shouted 'shame on you' repeatedly at officers. The remaining protesters marched down Whitehall to Trafalgar Square, where violent scuffles broke out with police.
Projectiles were thrown by demonstrators and several people were led away in handcuffs.
There appeared to be over 10,000 people at the rally, which was held in a crowded Parliament Square. For comparison, nearby Trafalgar Square is able to hold 20,000 people when full.
A small group of around 50-100 protesters in London began to block roads around Parliament Square and chanted anti-police slogans including 'All Cops Are B******s'.
Dozens of extra officers were brought in outside Parliament to help unblock the road for a McDonald's lorry which became a target for the crowd, who whistled and booed as they stopped the driver from passing.
Bottles and missiles were thrown as police with riot helmets fired pepper spray and held batons aloft, screaming for the crowd to 'get back'. A man was carried away by officers.
Police officers form a line across a street in Bristol's city centre with a dispersal order issued after protesters marched again last night
Since the bill was brought before parliament last month, there have been sporadic protests, notably in Bristol, southwest England, where demonstrations turned violent
The 'national weekend of action' has spread beyond the capital to cities including Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol and Manchester - where police said a number of 'peaceful' protests took police
Seven protesters were arrested amid outbreaks of violence in Bristol last night, with a dispersal order issued for Bristol city centre
A number of recent protests in Bristol have ended in tussles with riot police leading to violent scenes across the city
Protestors tussle with police in Bristol during a demonstration against new policing powers sought by the government
The rallies come as Covid deaths fall to their lowest in six months with the UK recording 10 fatalities, bringing the total to 126,826, and another 3,423 new infections
Police were also seen taking away a young woman crying out in pain following clashes at the demo, which began after people marched to Trafalgar Square, with her friends saying she had sustained an injury to her shoulder.
A separate group in Parliament Square was seen demonstrating with anti-sexism slogans, including 'educate your sons' and 'misogyny is the virus', chanting 'women scared everywhere, police and Government do not care'.
By this evening, the Metropolitan Police said 'a small minority' of protestors, who were not social distancing, were still in the square and that arrests were being made after they turned down requests to leave.
The majority of protesters from the demonstration, who gathered earlier in the day, had dispersed several hours earlier but those still present shouted 'shame on you' repeatedly at officers.
Three Kill the Bill protestors unfurled a banner which read 'Kill Cops' and held aloft the incendiary message outside the Houses of Parliament - just 50 metres away from where PC Keith Palmer was stabbed to death in 2017.
The 'national weekend of action' has spread beyond the capital to cities including Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol and Manchester - where police said a number of 'peaceful' protests took police.
Dorset Police thanked those who took part in 'peaceful protests' in Bournemouth and Weymouth, and stuck to the Covid-19 restrictions.
In Norwich, Kill The Bill graffiti was daubed on a city centre war memorial while protestors in Manchester blocked tram tracks in St Peter's Square prompting police to move in and make arrests just after 5.30pm.
Protesting is now legal in England following a change in Covid-19 lockdown rules which came into force on Monday, but organisers are required to submit risk assessments and ensure social distancing.
The rallies come as Covid deaths fall to their lowest in six months with the UK recording 10 fatalities, bringing the total to 126,826, and another 3,423 new infections.
Police officers stand guard as demonstrators block a motorway during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in Bristol on Saturday night
A protestor uses a megaphone during a Kill the Bill protest on Newfoundland Road leading to the M32 on Saturday in Bristol
A police officer fires pepper spray as scuffles erupt between Kill the Bill protestors and police in Parliament Square today
protestors take part in a demonstration by Hyde Park against the Government's proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Protestors and police officers pictured in Parliament Square, central London, during today's Kill the Bill protest. Projectiles were thrown as police pushed protesters away and at least one officer was injured in the scuffle
A woman is detained by police during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in central London. The demonstration is against the Government-proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Police officers are seen restraining a demonstrator during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in central London this afternoon
Police scuffle with a crowd of protestors during a Kill the Bill protest near Parliament Square in central London this afternoon
A demonstrator is seen holding a red smoke flare at the 'Kill the Bill' protest n London with the Houses of Parliament seen in the background
Demonstrators use street barriers to block a road during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in central London on Saturday
Demonstrators knock over bins and traffic cones as they use street furniture to block a road during the protest in London
Police officers surround demonstrators lying on the road as they take part in the protest. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill would give police in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on peaceful protests
Police confront protestors with a bus seen in the background during a Kill the Bill demonstration on Saturday in London
Police officers hold back demonstrators near Trafalgar Square in central London as they detain one during the protest
A protestor blocking a road is detained by police during the 'Kill the Bill' protest held in opposition to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. People gathered at Hyde Park before marching towards Parliament Square
A policeman holding a baton faces demonstrators during a 'Kill the Bill' protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in Parliament Square, London
The former leader of the Labour Party addressed crowds gathered in Parliament Square as he described the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill as a 'very dangerous, slippery slope' and defended the right to protest
Protestors stop a delivery truck during the 'Kill the Bill' protest in central London. The proposed legislation covers a wide range of issues and would broaden the police's authority for regulating protests
A crowd of demonstrators are seen marching at a 'Kill the Bill protest in Bristol, south west England, on Saturday evening
Police form a cordon as darkness falls and demonstrators march on a main road during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in Bristol
Protestors march down the A4 during a Kill the Bill protest on Saturday evening in Bristol, the south-west of England
Demonstrators walk along the A4032 into the town centre in Bristol during a protest against the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
A van driver clashes with a protestor on the A4044 during a Kill the Bill protest on Saturday evening in Bristol, south west England
A masked demonstrator holds a placard on top of a sign post as darkness falls during a 'Kill the Bill' protest in Bristol
People dance as they gather for a 'Kill the Bill' protest against the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in Bristol earlier this evening
Crowds seen posing for the camera while drinking beer and dancing at a 'Kill the Bill' demonstration in Bristol, south-west England
In a statement, the Met Police said tonight: 'At this stage, 26 people have been arrested for a variety of offences including assault on police and breach of the peace. In one instance, a woman was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon after a knife was recovered. 'The policing operation remains ongoing and this arrest total is likely to rise. Ten officers received injuries during the operation; none of these are believed to be serious.'
Commander Ade Adelekan, who led today's policing operation, said: 'The vast majority of people who turned out in central London today did so while adhering to social distancing. They engaged with my officers when required and left when asked – I would like to thank them for doing so.
'However, a small minority did not engage despite the repeated efforts of officers on the ground. This left us with no option but to move to an enforcement stage and arrests have been made.
'This has been another challenging day for officers on the ground and I want to thank them for their efforts throughout the course of today.
'We remain in the middle of a global pandemic and we have made great progress in controlling the spread of the virus; we will not allow the selfish actions of a small number of people to put Londoners progress in jeopardy.'
Liaison officers attempted to engage with them to move them along peacefully but they refused to cooperate.
Eventually the group moved on to the New Scotland Yard, the Metropolitan Police headquarters, where they continued with their anti-police rhetoric.
Tensions are running high following the arrest of serving Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens for the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard and Met probationer Benjamin Hannam being convicted last week of belonging to a Neo-Nazi organisation.
Officers ringed the Winston Churchill statue and the Cenotaph - targets at previous protests - as crowds marched down from the meeting point in Hyde Park to Westminster.
Lorries trying to drive past the Houses of Parliament were blocked by crowds. One truck delivering flowers was forced to turn round and head back the opposite direction.
One weeping female protester in Manchester was held against a police van, with protestors chanting 'Kill the Bill' as they blocked leaving trams.
Police officers form a cordon to free a delivery truck being stopped by demonstrators during the protest in central London
Protestors stop a delivery truck during the protest in London. Dozens of extra officers were brought in outside Parliament to help unblock the road
Police intervene as protestors attempt to stop a delivery truck during the 'Kill the Bill' protest held in opposition to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
Protestors stop a delivery truck at the rally. Protesting is now legal in England following a change in Covid-19 lockdown rules which came into force on Monday, but organisers are required to submit risk assessments and ensure social distancing
A protestor appears injured as police intervene during the 'Kill the Bill' protest in central London, where demonstrators gathered at Hyde Park and marched towards Parliament Square
Ex-Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn standing next to a statue of Mahatma Gandhi as he speaks at the rally. Close by, anti-lockdown demonstrators staged their own protest, supported by Mr Corbyn's brother, Piers
Extinction Rebellion's Red Rebel Brigade are seen performing at a Kill the Bill protest in Mayfair as thousands marched through central London in protest of the Government-proposed bill
Thousands of activists have descended on London (pictured) as police brace for weekend of chaos with more rallies set to take place in towns and cities across the UK
Police have braced for weekend of chaos with more rallies set to take place in towns and cities across the UK. Pictured: Protests in Brighton
But the 'national weekend of action' has also spread beyond the capital to cities including Newcastle, Liverpool (pictured) and Manchester
Protestors attended the demonstration in Parliament Square, central London, against the Government's proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill that will give police more power to shut down protests
Demonstrators sit on Baldwin Street in Bristol during a 'Kill the Bill' protest on Saturday against the Government-proposed bill
Demonstrators taking part in a 'Kill the Bill' protest sit and stand in the street listening to speeches in the centre of Bristol
The former leader of the Labour Party is pictured addressing the crowd during a 'Kill the Bill' protest against the Government's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in Parliament Square, London, today
Mr Corbyn stood by a statue in front of crowds during a 'Kill the Bill' protest at Parliament Square in London on Saturday
The ex-Labour leader seen wearing a face mask after speaking to protestors next to a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at a Kill the Bill protest in Parliament Square
The 'national weekend of action' has also spread beyond the capital to cities including Newcastle, Liverpool (pictured) and Manchester
Tram passenger Mike Horton, 43, said: 'There were lots of police and then they jumped on a few protesters. I got a real shock as I had just come to get on tram. They were shouting at the police and filming them with their phones.'
Protests and demonstrations were expected this weekend across England on what is forecast to be a is the first to benefit from the easing of 'stay at home' lockdown restrictions.
On Saturday, activists, climate change campaigners, and the Black Lives Matter movement said they would join 'kill the bill' rallies in London and other towns and cities including Manchester, Leeds, Brighton and Bristol.
'As protest is criminalised and our fake democracy is pushed further towards authoritarianism, we seek to find where we can come together with other movements to tackle the common causes that affect us all,' said Alanna Byrne from environmental group Extinction Rebellion.
Days of protests by the group paralysed parts of London in early 2019, action which helped fuel calls from some politicians for the police to be given the tougher powers to prevent excessive disruption.
Another demonstrator, Mark Duncan, added: 'The government are trying to curtail protests - especially BLM and XR - that is what this bill is all about. We want the clauses in this bill about protests quashed.'
A separate group in Parliament Square (pictured) were demonstrating with anti-sexism slogans, including 'educate your sons' and 'misogyny is the virus'
Protestors, including environmental protest group the Red Brigade - often seen at Extinction Rebellion demonstrations - have gathered at Hyde Park today (pictured)
Protestors in Parliament Square (pictured) gathered as part of the 'national weekend of action' that has spread around the country
There have been a number of Kill The Bill protests held in recent weeks to show opposition to the Government's proposed Police, Crime , Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021. Pictured: Protestors in Newcastle
The Metropolitan Police have since said: 'The majority of people at today's events in Central London (pictured) have tried to adhere to social distancing and Covid legislation'
Organisers reminded demonstrators to stay socially distanced on this 'national weekend of action' as they attempted to control the crowds. Pictured: Protestors in Reading
Protests and demonstrations were expected across England this weekend on what is forecast to be a is the first to benefit from the easing of 'stay at home' lockdown restrictions. Pictured: Protestors in London
There have been a number of 'Kill The Bill' protests held to show opposition to the Government's proposed Police, Crime , Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021. Pictured: Crowds in central London today
The group that gathered in Parliament Square (pictured), London, chanted 'women scared everywhere, police and Government do not care'
On Saturday, activists, climate change campaigners, and the Black Lives Matter movement said they would join 'kill the bill' rallies in London (pictured)Organisers reminded protestors to stay socially distanced on this 'national weekend of action' as they attempted to control the crowds.
The Metropolitan Police have since said: 'The majority of people at today's events in Central London have tried to adhere to social distancing and Covid legislation.
'A small minority are blocking the road at Parliament Square. Officers are on scene engaging and encouraging them to move so we can reopen the roads.'
A Met Police spokesman also told MailOnline: 'Officers have been on the ground throughout the day engaging and encouraging those present to adhere to the current Covid legislation. There have been no arrests so far.'
But the 'national weekend of action' spread beyond the capital to cities including Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton and Manchester.
Several hundred people gathered beneath Grey's Monument in Newcastle for a similar Kill the Bill protest with a low-key response from Northumbria Police.
Protesters cheered as a singer with a guitar performed in opposition to the proposed bill as another attendee held up a placard saying: 'We will not be silenced.'
Protests and demonstrations were expected this weekend across England on what is forecast to be a is the first to benefit from the easing of 'stay at home' lockdown restrictions. Pictured: Rally in Bristol
Earlier today several hundred people gathered beneath Grey's Monument in Newcastle (pictured) for a similar Kill the Bill protest
There was a low-key response to the city centre gathering from Northumbria Police and protesters cheered as a singer with a guitar performed in opposition to the proposed bill
The crowd (pictured) has since made its way through Newcastle city centre chanting: 'Whose streets, our streets' and 'F*** Priti Patel'The crowd has since made its way through the city centre chanting: 'Whose streets, our streets' and 'F*** Priti Patel'.
Many took the knee at the Civic Centre and held a minute's silence for victims of oppression, after which a round of applause broke out.
Meanwhile, more than 400 Kill The Bill protesters today marched through Manchester city centre.
They halted traffic as they walked from St Peter's Square where they had held an hour-long rally as they shouted: 'All cops are b*******' and 'Our streets'.
The march was largely peaceful with the exception of one teenage protester jumping on top of a blue McLaren sports car before banging on the roof. He was held by police but later let go.
The protesters then gathered on the steps of Manchester Crown Court and chanted: 'No justice, no peace.'
The protestors included animal rights, environmental and LGBT campaigners and waved a range of Socialist Worker Party Kill the Bill, Black Lives Matter and Trans Rights Now placards.
Nurse Matthew Hampson, 53, had earlier told the crowd: 'Nurses are not just angry about the proposed one per cent pay cut, they are enraged.
'We need to protest, that is why we need to stop this Bill.'
The rally, watched by police in Tactical Aid vehicles as well as officers on foot, took place under a 48-hour police dispersal order for the entire city centre.
The order gives police the power to tell a person engaged in anti-social behaviour, or who is likely to engage in anti-social behaviour, to leave a specified area - but it expired at 3pm.
It was imposed following an illegal rave in the city centre as well as 18 people being arrested at last week's Kill the Bill protest in Manchester.
Protesters had sat on tram tracks and police had to apologise after one woman's underwear was exposed when she was dragged away.
Meanwhile, more than 400 Kill The Bill protesters today marched through Manchester city centre (pictured) watched by police in Tactical Aid vehicles as well as officers on foot
The rally in Manchester city centre (pictured) took place under a 48-hour police dispersal order for the entire city centre
The protestors included animal rights, environmental and LGBT campaigners and waved a range of Socialist Worker Party Kill the Bill, Black Lives Matter and Trans Rights Now placards
They halted traffic as they walked from St Peter's Square, Manchester (pictured), where they had held an hour-long rally as they shouted: 'All cops are b*******' and 'Our streets'
Elsewhere, around 300 protestors gathered outside Norwich City Hall as part of the country-wide demonstrations.
The protest passed off peacefully with a handful of police officers observing the event from a distance but graffiti carrying the Kill The Bill was daubed on the city's war memorial.
The protests have been sparked by the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill would toughen measures officers can take to disperse demonstrations, such as imposing time and noise limits, which campaigners and activists fear would be used to curb dissent.
Since the bill was brought before parliament last month, there have been sporadic protests, notably in Bristol, southwest England, where demonstrations turned violent with officers and a police station bombarded with bricks and glass bottles, and police vehicles set on fire.Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticised what he described as 'disgraceful attacks' on officers, but protesters have accused police of using heavy-handed tactics.
Demonstrations had not been permitted while a coronavirus lockdown was in place, but restrictions were eased this week, meaning organised rallies can go ahead providing they are 'COVID secure'.
In London, police warned, 'enforcement action will be taken, if needed, in the interests of public health'.
Some senior officers have said the 'kill the bill' tag was deliberately provocative as 'the bill' is a nickname in Britain for the police.
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