Thousands ignore COVID-19 lockdown to join 'Black Lives Matter' protests in UK

Thousands of people, carrying placards reading 'there is a virus greater than COVID-19 and it's called racism', turned out for 'Black Lives Matter' protests in the UK on Saturday, ignoring the coronavirus lockdown.

The protests, being held in solidarity with US protests in the wake of the custodial killing of African-American George Floyd, were held in London's Parliament Square as well as across other cities such as Manchester, Newcastle, Leicester and Sheffield.

The death of Floyd has sparked protests across the US and in other countries around the world. The 46-year-old man died after white police officer Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground and knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes during an arrest in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25.

The image went viral across social and led to Chauvin being charged with second-degree murder, while other officers present at the time also facing charges.

"There is a virus greater than COVID-19 and it's called racism," read some of the placards carried by protesters, most of whom used face coverings.

During a minute's silence, protesters went down on one knee while holding their fists in the air before chanting Floyd's name.

"I completely understand people's desire to express their views and have the right to protest but the fact of the matter is we are in a health pandemic across the UK, coronavirus is a deadly virus and I would say to those who want to protest, please don't," said UK Home Secretary Priti Patel.

The Indian-origin minister urged demonstrators to stay safe, saying: "We must put public health first".

Scotland Yard chief Cressida Dick also urged protesters to find a way of expressing themselves which did not involve mass gatherings, which remain unlawful under the current lockdown measures in place to control the spread of COVID-19.

"Now I appreciate that we have a very, very long history of people expressing themselves by assembling and waving placards and being in central London, and all those things are very dear to our history," the Metropolitan Police Commissioner said.

"But coming together in a gathering is not only unlawful but also perhaps more importantly, in a sense, it is putting yourself and your family at unnecessary risk and other people around you, as we all know it is a deadly virus and it can get spread in crowds," she said.

Demonstrations also took place in London earlier this week and were marred by some scuffles between protestors and police outside Downing Street.