Thread by @mattuthompson

Several hundred people are gathered in Parliament Square, here ostensibly to protect monuments and statues from a BLM protest that is no longer happening.

Heavy police presence, but so far peaceful, people mostly just drinking in the sun.

No social distancing.

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“If you don’t love this country, leave” says this man, an immigrant himself, to widespread applause (and not very socially distant handshakes)

#Parliamentsquare

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Things already escalating here on Parliament Square. Bottles and smoke bombs thrown at police. And you can see as a protestor smacks my phone out of my hand as I try to film the scuffles.

Turning on journalists too.

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A chorus of “Rule Britannia” breaks out amongst the protests on Parliament Square, followed by the national anthem.

Things are getting a little angry again.

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Sounds like things are getting quite serious at Trafalgar Square. Clashes between protestors. Police horses being brought in.

Police have sealed off all the exits from Parliament Square so that the crowd can’t leave and head towards the trouble.

A few hundred people still on lockdown in Parliament Square. Which makes it 3 police kettles in the space of 8 days for me... must be some kind of record surely??

More clashes now with police on Whitehall. The crowd is getting very violent.

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Police in full riot gear with shields now on the scene. More reinforcements arriving.

Crowd getting more and more riled up. But the police line is holding.

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I’ve just seen yet more journalists attacked. Two young women just had their camera grabbed. One of them tells me she’s already been hit by a bottle as well.

The crowd is now slowly dispersing from Parliament Square. Two exits open now towards Victoria and down Millbank.

Not entirely clear where they’re all headed. Hate to prematurely call this over, but the crowd is now about a fifth of its former size.

Smaller clashes erupting between rival groups of protestors on Victoria Street. Police have separated them.

But still there are some in the crowd asking people to stop the violence.

NEW: The @metpoliceuk say that as of 5pm, five people have been arrested at today’s protests.

Offences include violent disorder, assault on police, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of class A drugs and drunk and disorderly.

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Police are now just mopping up the last few protestors. Clearing out Leicester Square. But it feels like this is over. More police on the streets now than protestors.

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