Shocking moment middle-aged woman is slammed to the ground by police during clash with anti-lockdown demonstrators in Trafalgar square – as Sadiq Khan is branded a hypocrite for blasting ‘unacceptable’ protest after he backed BLM march
- A woman was slammed to the ground by police during the anti-lockdown protest
- Footage shows her grappling with officers after she was pulled off her chair
- They then grappled with a walking stick before she was shoved by an officer
- Sadiq Khan has come under fire by some for criticising the 15,000 protesting
- Earlier this year, he backed the BLM protests before telling people to stay home
This is the shocking moment a woman protesting at the anti-lockdown demonstration in London on Saturday was shoved to the ground by police.
Footage taken in Trafalgar Square shows the ugly scenes as the middle-aged protester was pushed a number of times during the We Do Not Consent rally.
It comes as Sadiq Khan was criticised for branding yesterday’s protests attended by 15,000 people ‘unacceptable’ after previously backing the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in June.
Footage taken in Trafalgar Square shows the ugly scenes as the middle-aged protester was pushed a number of times during the We Do Not Consent rally on Saturday
In the video taken in the capital on Saturday, the demonstrator is seen standing on a portable chair when police arrived, with one officer pulling the chair from under her feet.
The woman and police then grapple with what appears to be walking stick as onlookers shouted in her defence.
After much shoving between them, another police officer steps in and shoves her to the ground, prompting even greater recriminations from her fellow protesters.
Sadiq Khan was criticised for branding yesterday’s protests attended by 15,000 people ‘unacceptable’
In a statement on June 6, Khan said he supported the Black Lives Matter protest and made no reference to Covid-19
A day later, he warned protesters about the virus but still urged them to protest 2m apart from each other
MailOnline has contacted the Metrpolitan Police about the incident.
It comes as Sadiq Khan was criticised for blasting the ‘unacceptable’ protests despite a number of demonstrations taking place in the capital this year.
The Mayor of London tweeted yesterday: ‘This is unacceptable. I urge all protestors to leave now.
‘Large gatherings are banned for a reason – you are putting the safety of our city at risk.
In the video taken in the capital on Saturday, the demonstrator is seen standing on a portable chair when police arrived, with one officer pulling the chair from under her feet
Footage shows the woman and police grappling as onlookers shout in her defence amid the ugly scenes
‘Violence towards police officers will not be tolerated and perpetrators will feel the full force of the law.’
While Khan did later tell Black Lives Matter protesters to stay at home in June, he initially threw his support behind the action on the streets during lockdown.
He said in a statement on June 6 without any reference to coronavirus: ‘To the thousands of Londoners who protested peacefully today: I stand with you and I share your anger and your pain.
After much shoving between them, another police officer steps in and shoves her to the ground
The protestser was slammed on the ground backwards by police, prompting screams from onlookers
‘George Floyd’s brutal killing must be a catalyst for change worldwide. No country, city, police service or institution can absolve itself of the responsibility to do better. We must stand together and root out racism wherever it is found. Black Lives Matter.
‘To the tiny minority who were violent and threw glass bottles and lit flares – you endangered a safe and peaceful protest and let down this important cause.’
A day later, he said in another statement about the protests: ‘Please also remember that Covid-19 is still a very real threat to our communities.
While Khan did later tell Black Lives Matter protesters to stay at home in June, he initially threw his support behind the action on the streets during lockdown
I urge people to consider ways of making your voice heard that doesn’t put yourself and others at risk of catching coronavirus.
‘If you are planning to protest today you must do so safely, peacefully and within the law. Use hand sanitiser, wear a face covering and keep 2m apart from others.’
It was not until a week later that Khan told Londoners to stay at home and make their voices heard in other ways.