This archive report was first published on 13 June 2020.
On Saturday, June 13, 2020, a demonstration linked to far-right groups in central London turned violent as protesters clashed with police. The event was held despite officials urging people not to gather due to coronavirus restrictions.
Thousands of people appeared to have defied the rules in and around Parliament Square, with footage showing violent scuffles with police as some agitators threw punches and objects at officers.
Interior Minister Priti Patel condemned the chaotic scenes, calling them “thoroughly unacceptable thuggery.”
“Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law,” she said on Twitter.
London’s Metropolitan Police had asked those who ignored the pleas not to protest to comply with conditions, including keeping to separate designated areas and dispersing by 1600 GMT.
“Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated,” said Bas Javid, a Met commander, noting COVID-19 remained “a threat to us all” and those assembled should “go home.”
A protest by the Black Lives Matter group, which had planned to take place on Saturday, was instead held on Friday to avoid clashes with self-styled “patriots.”
Paul Golding, the leader of fringe far-right group Britain First, was among the first to assemble in Parliament Square, telling the Press Association they had turned out to “guard our monuments.”
“Anyone who comes along today to try and vandalise them will probably be dealt with by all of these Englishmen that turned up, and they’re fed up as well,” he said.
