Hundreds of maskless anti-lockdown protestors take to the streets of Liverpool on first weekend on new restrictions defying ban on demonstrations
Hundreds of maskless anti-lockdown protestors are marching in Brighton and Liverpool this afternoon on the first weekend after stricter restrictions were brought back in.
The demonstration in Brighton has been organised by Save Our Rights UK for Brighton and Hove - an anti-lockdown campaign group - and is taking place on Hove seafront.
Sussex Police officers are lining the roads at the scene and said enforcement action 'may be taken' against protesters.
There is also a police presence outside St George's Hall in the centre of Liverpool as demonstrators march to protest the lockdown just after the launch of mass testing across the city.
It comes despite Priti Patel banning demonstrations duration of the second lockdown which will run until December 2, in line with rules that you can only meet one other person outdoors in a public setting.
Hundreds of anti-lockdown protesters marched through Liverpool city centre this afternoon
The demonstrators were greeted by a large police presence around St George's Hall and Albert Dock in Liverpool city centre
Hundreds of maskless anti-lockdown protesters are marching along Brighton seafront this afternoon on the first weekend after stricter restrictions were brought back in
In the centre of Liverpool demonstrators are also marching to protest the lockdown just after the launch of mass testing across the city
In Brighton the anti-lockdown protestors - who include people of all ages as well as children - began their demonstration at the Statue of Peace next to Hove Lawns and began to march towards Brighton.
Before the group set off, the rules for the protest were laid out by a demonstrator on a megaphone who said: 'We have been asked to walk in pairs only.
'We're not going to hang around, we're going to keep marching. We're not going to do any speeches.
'We're just going to walk, we're going to make some noise and we're going to let this Government now, we're not taking it any more.'
In Liverpool huge crowds were making their way to the Albert Dock to protest the lockdown and the closure of non-essential businesses.
Police urged people attending this afternoon's protest to adhere to social distancing rules
Under rules that were introduced in England on Thursday morning, non-essential shops, bars and restaurants were closed in an effort to reduce the level of Covid-19 transmission
It comes just days after the mass testing scheme was rolled out in Liverpool, where every single resident is being offered a coronavirus test in efforts to stop the spread there.
Thousands turned up at venues including Liverpool Tennis Centre yesterday to get tested. People of all ages waited their turn to take the test for coronavirus with 2,000 military personnel brought in to carry out the mass testing pilot scheme.
In Liverpool huge crowds were making their way to the Albert Dock to protest the lockdown
The protests in Liverpool today come just days after the mass testing scheme was rolled out in the city
The demonstration has been organised by Save Our Rights UK for Brighton and Hove and is taking place on Hove sea front
Sussex Police officers are lining the roads at the scene and said enforcement action 'may be taken' against protestors
People opposing coronavirus lockdown measures gather to protest during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in Leipzig, Germany today
The rally is one of many protests scheduled to be held today across the country, and has been organised by Save Our Rights UK
It has been organised in partnership with Event 202, another anti-lockdown group who describe themselves as 'a propaganda opposition exercise' on their Instagram page
There is also a police presence outside St George's Hall in the centre of Liverpool as demonstrators marched
Hundreds of people are marching through Liverpool city centre this afternoon to protest the UK's second national coronavirus lockdown
The rallies are two of many protests scheduled to be held today across the country, and have been organised by Save Our Rights UK.
They have been organised in partnership with Event 202, another anti-lockdown group who describe themselves as 'a propaganda opposition exercise' on their Instagram page.
A few protestors were also seen gathering outside Downing Street in London today and police were seen speaking to them.
On their website, Save Our Rights UK state: 'This year, a whole raft of legislation has been brought in, in the name of Coronavirus.
The demonstrators marched past the Albert Dock in Liverpool's city centre, pictured
The anti-lockdown protesters - which include people of all ages as well as children-began their demonstration at the Statue of Peace next to Hove Lawns and began to march towards Brighton
Protestors walk along Brighton seafront this afternoon as they take part in a demonstrationn
In Liverpool demonstrators walked past police at St George's Hall to head towards Albert Dock to voice their opposition to Thursday's closure of businesses deemed non-essential
There was a heavy police presence in the centre of Liverpool today as many gathered to protest
The crowds headed through the city in a big group, some with megaphones
People in Leipzig attend a rally against the anti-corona measures adopted by the federal and state governments in Germany
Thousands of people took part in a protest in Leipzig in Germany today as the country entered another lockdown at the start of this week
Leipzig city centre in Germany was full of protestors today after Germany also entered a second lockdown
A few protestors were also seen gathering outside Downing Street in London today and police were seen speaking to them
A woman stands by her 'democracy not lockdowns' sign in central London this afternoon
Despite the big crowds in Brighton, London seemed to have just a few people protesting
'These sweeping powers granted have infringed upon human rights and have often been brought in with no parliamentary scrutiny.
'The impact of the lockdown measures and legislative changes that have occurred under the guise of the Coronavirus Act 2020 have had a devastating affect on people's lives.'
Brighton and Hove Police wrote in a statement: 'We are aware of a protest in Brighton today.
'We are there engaging, explaining and encouraging people to follow the regulations.
'Where this is not effective enforcement action may be taken. We urge people to abide by the regulations to help keep themselves and others safe.'
Merseyside Police also issued a statement saying: 'For the good health of our local communities please remember that gatherings of people are not allowed under the latest lockdown restrictions.
'The ban on gatherings is designed to prevent the spread of the virus.'
The UK isn't the only country seeing lockdown marches as people gathered in Leipzig in Germany to protest their new lockdown measures that were brought in on Monday
Germany is currently in a four-week semi-lockdown in an effort by authorities to rein in coronavirus infection rates. Pictured is a protest there today in Leipzig