Anti-vaccine protesters clash with police after attempting to storm medicines regulator

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Four police officers were injured during clashes in London on Friday after anti-vaccine protesters attempted to storm the headquarters of the government agency responsible for bringing Covid vaccines to the UK public.

Metropolitan Police officers blocked the ‘anti-vaxx’ crowd from entering the headquarters of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in Canary Wharf.

The force said protestors had “become violent” which was “ unacceptable”.

Scotland Yard tweeted: “We have made 10 arrests while policing this protest group. They originally gathered at Canary Wharf and then travelled to South Kensington.”

Local councillor for Canary Wharf, Andrew Wood said leaflets were being circulated about the vaccination of children.

“The police have been here all week because we were expecting Extinction Rebellion, so most of the police and security’s been outside the banks,” he said.

“So whether the anti-vaxxers realised this or not the police were ready for a protest, it’s just that it was anti-vaxxers not Extinction Rebellion who turned up this afternoon.”

The protest took place as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said it could not recommend all 12-15 year-olds get the jab.

The advisers said that, while there was a marginal benefit to healthy 12-15 year-olds in receiving the vaccine, it was insufficient to call for universal inoculation of this age-group.

Last week, anti-vaccine protesters infiltrated the London headquarters of ITN, the company that produces ITV News and Channel 4 News.

Additional reporting by PA