UK George Floyd protests: Police and demonstrators clash outside Downing Street as thousands across UK join Black Lives Matter march
Follow developments in the protests as they happened
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Thousands of people gathered in UK cities to stand against racism and demand change after the death of George Floyd in US police custody.
Demonstrators filled London‘s Parliament Square holding placards reading “black lives matter“, “white silence is violence” and “the UK is not innocent”, while thousands also turned out across Cardiff, Bristol, Manchester, Sheffield, Leicester, Bath and Birmingham.
Government ministers urged people not to gather in large groups to protest, with police warning that protests could be unlawful under coronavirus lockdown rules. The demonstrations were largely peaceful apart from a clash between protesters and police near Downing Street on Saturday evening which saw a police officer knocked from a horse and graffiti daubed on the Cenotaph in Whitehall.
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As many across the UK take the knee, a stance popularised by American football star Colin Kaepernick to protest police brutality, the US president continues to denigrate it - only serving to highlight its power.
While government ministers urged people not to show up to protest, London's mayor Sadiq Khan has taken a more nuanced stance, imploring people to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing.
Police disperse protesters after bottles thrown
A confrontation has broken out between police and protesters, with reports and footage indicating one police officer has been knocked from their horse.
Eyewitness accounts on social media suggest some protesters began throwing bottles at officers, who were replaced by another wave of officers donning riot gear.
Sky News has this report from Whitehall:
Here's some footage taken as mounted police moved to disperse the protesters, in which a horse can be seen bolting through the crowds and some stronger language can be heard.
Police officer 'knocked off horse' at Whitehall protest
One officer appeared to be knocked off their horse during the clash with protesters in Whitehall.
The horse then bolted - sending crowds of people scattering, according to Press Association.
Tamara, a 23-year-old living in south west London, tells The Independent's Gemma Fox her thoughts on the UK's role in finding justice for George Floyd, and of her own experiences with the police.
"The UK has to play its part in telling the world, telling the Americans that justice needs to be served," Tamara says. "1,741 police deaths have happened in the UK in the last 20 years [according to Inquest].
"The UK is not innocent we want to avoid more deaths, and we want to make sure its always de-escalation the police are using and not lethal force, we don’t want our kids to go through the same thing. Watching the George Floyd [footage] made me feel depressed, like the whole world is bad place I don’t want to be a part of.
"When i was younger I was in social services and I did get in trouble with the police. I had a knee on my face when I was 14, I’ve been hurt by police. As a child he probably didn’t hurt me as much as George Floyd had it,
"I feel I had some privilege being in this country because when I look back I think I could have lost my life if I was in America, because 8 minutes is a long time. When it was happening it felt like I was not relevant, your not part of the world, you’re just a little piece of s***t on their shoe, like nobody cares, like you’re nothing if the police can do that.
"If the police change then people can have more faith in the police, stop being scared of them, scared of reporting crimes. We want the police to serve us and protect us, instead of murdering and stereotyping."
Relative of man who died in police custody to address virtual protest
The sister of a man who died in police custody is to speak at a virtual anti-racism protest and rally organised by the STUC calling for justice for her brother.
The union said it fully understands the depth of anger and desire to show solidarity that is moving people to attend a physical Black Lives Matter rally in Glasgow on Sunday, but cannot advise people to attend due to the coronavirus threat.
Instead it plans to hold a virtual rally on the fifth anniversary of the burial of Sheku Bayoh to reaffirm its support for the Justice for Sheku Bayoh campaign and to highlight the racism experienced by black and ethnic minority people in Scotland.
Speakers at the rally will include Kadi Johnson, Sheku Bayoh's sister, Aamer Anwar, lawyer for the Bayoh family, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf, Anas Sarwar MSP (Labour) and Usman Ali, Chairman of the STUC Black Workers Committee.
Mr Bayoh died in 2015 aged 32 after being restrained by officers responding to a call in Kirkcaldy, Fife. His family believes race played a part in his death and a public inquiry was announced by Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf in November last year, with which Police Scotland pledged to "engage fully".
Here's some footage from earlier in the day in central London.
Here's some more photos of the confrontation between protesters and police in Whitehall after a largely peaceful demonstration. (Images via AFP and PA)
Police in riot gear form up outside Downing Street
Police in helmets and holding shields formed two lines outside of Downing Street, with mounted officers in-between, report Press Association.
This has separated the crowd, with the majority on the side of Parliament Square.
Officers tried to force the crowds further down Whitehall, with some protesters linking arms and turning their backs to police to stop themselves being moved on.
A few demonstrators stood on walls outside of the Cabinet Office, holding signs and chanting.
Protest organisers in Northern Ireland to be reported to Public Prosecution Service, police say
Black Lives Matter demonstrations took place in cities across the island of Ireland on Saturday afternoon. Some of the biggest crowds gathered at Custom House Square in Belfast and outside the US Embassy in Dublin.
In Northern Ireland, Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd had urged organisers to call off the rallies sparked by the death of George Floyd in police custody in the US. The Police Service of Northern Ireland conducted checks on roads and at transport hubs ahead of the protests.
As people arrived, many wearing face coverings and gloves, at the demonstration in Belfast they were handed flyers by police officers detailing social-distancing rules. Some were issued with community resolution notices. Organisers had marked out social-distancing measurements and encouraged those attending to space out.
ACC Todd later confirmed community resolution notices had been handed out, and revealed protest organisers will be reported to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
"A number of individuals, including organisers, will now be reported to the Public Prosecution Service with a view to prosecution. We will also conduct follow up enquiries to seek to identify others who may have committed offences," he said.
"The Health Protection Regulations are in place to protect us all during this pandemic and it is everyone's responsibility to adhere to them to protect our society."
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