Clashes have erupted between police and participants of the annual Million Mask March in London, as anti-establishment demonstrators set off fireworks at officers and burned an effigy of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Protesters marched through Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square, and Oxford Street on Friday, marking the annual Million Mask March, which draws big demonstrations each year on November 5 against government overreach, income inequality, and, more recently, Covid-19 restrictions.
Many demonstrators sported Guy Fawkes masks to honour the fictionalised anti-government character depicted in Alan Moore’s ‘V for Vendetta’ graphic novel, on the commemoration day for the real Fawkes.
Clashes between police and the Million Mask March protesters in Parliament Square, London pic.twitter.com/uTiqJICpQP
— RT UK (@RTUKnews) November 5, 2021
— RT UK (@RTUKnews) November 5, 2021
'Million Mask March' protesters set a dummy apparently designed to look like PM Boris Johnson on fire pic.twitter.com/jALQT5nahn
— RT UK (@RTUKnews) November 5, 2021
“Boris lied, people died,” protesters chanted as they made their way through the streets. At one point, a group of demonstrators burned an effigy of Johnson in protest of the country’s Covid restrictions.
Police eventually moved in on the crowd and clashed with some protesters after fireworks were set off, some reportedly close to officers and other individuals.
Riot police and fireworks.
This is going to get interesting. pic.twitter.com/BxHUKr2VfG— Ali (@ali__samson) November 5, 2021
During this withdrawal, powerful fireworks were being thrown at officers, pic.twitter.com/Zw7ejO8EHP
— Chris Hobbs (@obbsie) November 5, 2021
Metropolitan Police said in a statement that its officers were forced to “engage” after “a crowd in Parliament Square have been dangerously lighting fireworks and rockets.” Police said they moved into the crowd to “remove any fireworks and prevent people coming to harm.”