LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - Several thousand anti-lockdown
demonstrators marched through central London on Saturday despite
restrictions on mass gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event was billed by organisers: "Unite for Freedom".
The protesters view COVID-19 restrictions as unnecessary and
a breach of their human rights. They oppose vaccinations,
mask-wearing and so called health passports.
Media reports put numbers at about 10,000, though the
Metropolitan Police did not confirm a figure.
Protesters chanted "freedom" and "take off your mask" and
some carried placards saying: "No to vaccine passports" and
"Lockdowns kill". Most were unmasked.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said he was not
aware of any arrests.
England has relaxed its lockdown restrictions in recent
weeks. Non-essential shops and outdoor hospitality reopened on
April 12, but indoor gatherings are still banned until May 17 at
the earliest.
(Reporting by Toby Melville, writing by James Davey,
editing by Clelia Oziel)