The lockdown rebels: Nineteen protesters are arrested - including Jeremy Corbyn's brother - in clashes with police at Hyde Park rally against the government's coronavirus restrictions with more hard left demos held across the country(24 Pics)
Crowds of protesters descended on London's Hyde Park today to demonstrate against the government's coronavirus lockdown restrictions.
In scenes that were replicated with small gatherings around the country, nineteen people were arrested and another 10 given on-the-spot fines during a protest against coronavirus restrictions, the Metropolitan Police said.
Among them was Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers, 73, who was seen being surrounded by police officers as he made his way through the crowds.
He was later seen being removed in handcuffs, after earlier holding a sign which read: 'End lockdown now - Free NHS to save those it's left behind.'
The protests were organised by the UK Freedom Movement with further demonstrations in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton, Cardiff and Barnstaple in Devon.
There were also separate protests over the restrictions in Germany.
Police officers march a protester as people demonstrate against the coronavirus lockdown in Hyde Park today. Police were booed when they arrested some protestors
A woman at the demonstration in London's Hyde Park talks to two police officers next to another protester dancing in a dress. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said it was disappointing that demonstrators had put themselves and others at risks
People of all ages including families with children attended the demonstrations. Nineteen people were arrested today as protesters scuffled with police during demonstrations at Hyde Park
A protester talks to a police officer with her sign campaigning against the lockdown restrictions placed on the UK. Police tried to disperse crowds to avoid mass gatherings in close proximity
Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers, 73, was surrounded by police officers as he made his way through the crowds. Amid scuffles with police, the former Labour leader's brother was taken away after showing up with a megaphone shouting conspiracy theories about the pandemic being linked to 5G
Police moved in to bring scenes under control as people brandished home made signs
A chorus of boos were heard as one man was cuffed and led away by police officers
The man appeared to put up some resistance as he was led away from the main scene and police removed his sign
Police continued in their efforts to disperse the crowd and stop being gathering in large numbers in close proximity
A man is moved on by police during a mass gathering protest organised by the group called 'UK Freedom Movement'
There appeared to be more police than protesters at the Hyde Park event today
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: 'With the easing of restrictions we fully expected open spaces to be busy this weekend.
'It was pleasing to see that people were largely compliant with the Government guidance. Where they weren't, and after we engaged with them, they quickly were.
'It was disappointing that a relatively small group in Hyde Park came together to protest the regulations in clear breach of the guidance, putting themselves and others at risk of infection.
'Officers once again, took a measured approach and tried to engage the group to disperse. They clearly had no intention of doing so, and so it did result in 19 people being arrested, and a further ten being issued with a fixed penalty notice.'
Amid scuffles with police, the former Labour leader's brother was taken away after showing up with a megaphone shouting conspiracy theories about the pandemic being linked to 5G.
He also said 'vaccination is not necessary' and that '5G towers will be installed everywhere', adding: '5G enhances anyone who's got illness from Covid, so they work together.'
Corbyn was taken away after declining to leave when asked by a police officer and declining to give his details when asked.
Standing close together near Speaker's Corner, several held placards and banners including slogans such as 'freedom over fear' as police, including some on horseback, looked on.
As people started to come together at midday on Saturday, initial figures were at the three dozen mark as police moved in to keep the scene under control.
With numbers mounting, police continued in their efforts to disperse the crowds and keep people moving, in order to avoid the dangerous scenario of a mass gathering in close proximity.
David Samson, 50, who said he works in finance, said he came because 'I never thought I'd see in my generation the suppressing of civil rights' over a 'fake virus'.
There was a large round of boos when one protester was taken away in handcuffs by police.
The man appeared to put up some resistance while being led away, as police looked to remove his sign and escort him from the area.
Another attendee held aloft a sign showing a Dr Who dalek, with the addition: 'Exvaccinate', while others read of 'tracking and chipping' theories linked to the outbreak of the virus.
A woman with two men stood next to her remonstrates with a police officer in Hyde Park today
'No mandatory vaccination, freedom to choose' read another of the signs in Hyde Park as officer watched on
One woman brought a sign which suggested people were being controlled and 'tracked and chipped' by the government
Police were equipped with protective face masks while dealing with the large group of people at close quarters
Another attendee held aloft a sign showing a Dr Who dalek, with the addition: 'Exvaccinate'
The numbers soon began to mount up as police formed a line in order to keep the masses at a reasonable distance
Police vans were required in order to provide reinforcements in case of further arrests in the park
People held placards and banners near Speaker's Corner while Officers on horses also patrolled the park, where in other areas members of the general public sat to take in the sun
As police tried to disperse the numbers, flags could be seen waving in the air. The colours of the Union Jack and St George's cross swirled above head as the masses chanted.
It is not the first time Piers Corbyn has been seen drawing attention to himself during the pandemic, after recently attending another anti-lockdown protest in central London and being given a penalty notice for doing so.
Corbyn, 73, called the fine an 'abomination' and an 'attack on human rights' after he refused on numerous occasions to heed the police's polite requests outside St Thomas's Hospital.
The scenes in London were replicated around the country. Protestors also gathered at Wollaton Hall Park Nottingham in considerably smaller numbers, with signs proclaiming 'End lock down'.
Police were seen remaining at an appropriate distance while keeping an eye on proceedings, as some of the protestors put questions to individual officers regarding current guidelines.
Protestors also gathered at Wollaton Hall Park Nottingham with signs proclaiming 'End lock down'. Two mass gatherings were planned in Nottingham this afternoon
One man held aloft a sign calling for police forces to 'wake up and help' the people during the ongoing crisis. Police encouraged people not to participate in the demonstrations
Three police officers attended the small gathering and were encouraging the group to carry out social distancing and think of those around them. The amount of people protesting in Nottingham was fairly small
Demonstrators spoke to police officers, asked them questions and argued with them. Police stayed to keep watch over the small group
A small gathering of people was also seen on Southampton common, as locals carted around 'fight 4 freedom' signs
A protestor at Southampton Common holds up a sign that says: 'Stop the lies! No to tyranny' with the words 'wake up!' written in each corner
A protestor holding a sign with the abbreviation that is a possible reference to the slogan: 'when we go one we go all' referencing the far-right conspiracy theory started on internet chat forum 4chan
In Cardiff, a similar protest was attended by just two people in Bute Park while another event lined up in nearby Heath Park, after posters urged demonstrators to join the movement with a picnic.
Fliers for the events were circulated on social media in a bid to get people to break guidelines and have picnics together in large groups.
The two protesters at Bute Park, who called themselves Paul and Bob, turned up with a dossier about the alleged connection between 5G and coronavirus.
The pair, who had travelled 40 miles from Bristol, said: 'Lockdown is a breach of our civil liberties.
'It is a big experiment to see if the Government can control us. We are going to be the next North Korea.'
South Wales Police were patrolling the parks but officers said they had mainly encountered dog walkers and families.
Protesters object to Scotland's lockdown restrictions in Holyrood park in Edinburgh
Members of the public gather at Glasgow Green, as part gatherings taking place across Scotland and the UK-wide. Police tried to encourage protestors to social-distance and think of others around them
Police were on site in both cars and vans in order to keep an eye on proceedings and ensure social distancing
Numbers were low despise advertising across social media to get people involved in the gatherings
Protestors held signs with slogans like: 'Our freedom is essential' with drawings of the Scottish flag on both top corners
Demonstrators expressed distrust in the media and tell people to 'take control or be controlled'
A group of about a dozen protesters had also gathered on Southampton Common to demonstrate against the lockdown.
The demonstrators held placards saying 'Stop the Lies', 'Say no to tyranny' and 'Fight 4 Freedom'.
Three police officers attended the small gathering and were encouraging the group to carry out social distancing and think of those around them.
This weekend also saw anti-lockdown protests in Germany with thousands of demonstrators gathering in Stuttgart, Munich and Berlin.
Some protests turned violent and when the police asked people to leave they were booed as crowds held signs that said: 'freedom instead of coercion'.
Germany newspaper Die Welt said that well over the 1,000 limit of people went to Theresienwiese in Berlin to demonstrate against the coronavirus measures in the country.
A large crowd of people gathered in the Cannstatter Wasen area in Stuttgart, Germany on May 16, protesting anti-coronavirus measures in place to slow the spread of the virus
Right-wing protesters gather at Brandenburg Gate, Berlin, on Saturday. A demonstrator holds up holds a copy of Germany's Basic Law, its constitution
Police limited the number of people allowed to gather in Stuttgart to 5,000 but people just flocked around the area police had designated.
Germany relaxed some of its lockdown measures on May 6, just over a month after lockdown started on March 22.
Since the relaxing of measures a spike in cases in Germany has been recorded, with the country's R number - the rate at which the virus spreads from each person - increasing to 1.1 earlier in the week.
Germany has now seen 173,772 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and a relatively low 7,881 deaths compared to other countries in Europe.
The lockdown rebels: Nineteen protesters are arrested - including Jeremy Corbyn's brother - in clashes with police at Hyde Park rally against the government's coronavirus restrictions with more hard left demos held across the country(24 Pics)
![The lockdown rebels: Nineteen protesters are arrested - including Jeremy Corbyn's brother - in clashes with police at Hyde Park rally against the government's coronavirus restrictions with more hard left demos held across the country(24 Pics)]()
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