During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, numerous protests took place over the government's response.
Anti-lockdown protests took place in opposition to restrictions, starting in April 2020 against the first national lockdown, and continuing during subsequent lockdowns and other regional restriction systems. These overlapped with anti-vaccination protests, which continued after the start of the UK's vaccination programme in December 2020. Several media outlets blamed online COVID-19 misinformation, denialism and conspiracy theories as driving factors in the protest movement. The Economist described the protests as "countercultural" and attracting people from a variety of demographics and political leanings. Hundreds of protesters have been arrested for violating lockdown restrictions, social distancing measures and other public health laws.
Unrelated protests were held by or in support of National Health Service staff involved in the frontline health response to demand for pay rises and improved working conditions.
Background
The UK's first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on 31 January 2020. As the number of cases and deaths increased in the subsequent few months, the government enacted emergency powers on 19 March to introduce public health measures in an effort to control the spread of the virus. On 23 March, with the death toll increasing and UK's hospital capacity at risk of being reached, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the first of three nationwide lockdowns or stay-at-home orders in response to rising daily cases, hospitalisations and deaths. After the first nationwide lockdown ended, the government introduced localised tier regulations in England in areas with higher rates of COVID-19 infection and mandated face masks in certain settings across the country. A second national lockdown began in November 2020, ending in early December and being replaced with tiered regulations. Due to rapidly increasing cases, a third national lockdown began in January 2021, and began to be eased in March 2021. Additional restrictions across the UK include social distancing measures and face masks being mandatory in certain settings.
With health being devolved between the nations of the United Kingdom, authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have also introduced localised restrictions, including lockdowns, at different times throughout the pandemic.
2020
April 2020
On 20 April, two anti-lockdown protesters had a stand-off with police on the roof of Shrewsbury College; they were then arrested. On both 25 April and 1 May, Piers Corbyn was present at an anti-lockdown protests in Glastonbury. On 25 April, Corbyn made a speech to the 30 to 100 other protesters, where he denied the pandemic was occurring, and criticised public health measures. A police spokesperson said they encouraged protesters to adhere to social distancing guidance, and that the protest ended within an hour.
May 2020
A group of around 20 people, which included some young children, held a peaceful protest and defied social distancing rules outside New Scotland Yard on 2 May. Another protest was held by a group of between 40 and 50 people on Lambeth Walk, near Westminster Bridge, on 9 May. A number of people were arrested and fixed penalty notices were issued by the police.
Protests against the United Kingdom's COVID-19 lockdown, to be held across the country in the weekend of 16 May, in cities such as Manchester, Bristol, Leicester and Southampton, were advertised online, produced by the UK Freedom Movement, an online group. On 15 May, former leader of the far-right group Britain First Jayda Fransen was associated with that apparent anti-lockdown movement circulating online due to her registration as director of Freedom Movement Ltd with Companies House, but Fransen has denied any involvement. On Saturday, 16 May, 50 anti-lockdown and anti-vax protesters defied social-distancing rules at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, including Piers Corbyn. There were further smaller protests on the same day in Manchester, Glasgow, Belfast and other cities across the country.
A small anti-lockdown protest took place along Hove seafront on 18 May. A protest the next day was held at Hampstead Heath, who demanded the reopening of its ponds as council had refused to reopen them. This was followed by another protest on 23 May that was held on Clapham Common, with around 20 protesters calling for the lockdown to come to end and for children to only return to school if there is "no social distancing". Another protest was held at Hyde Park on 30 May.