Thousands gather in central London for outdoor rave amid weekend of protests

27 June 2021, 15:23

By Ewan Quayle

@EQjourno

Thousands of young people have gathered in central London for a rave in protest at the impact coronavirus restrictions are having on the music industry.

Several vans blasting music parked along Regent Street at around midday on Sunday and were soon joined by thousands of ravers and protesters, before marching towards Parliament Square.

The protest was organised by pressure group Save Our Scene in what they are calling the "largest creative industry demonstration ever in the UK".

READ MORE: Crowds march through capital as part of weekend of demonstrations

The event, named Freedom to Dance, is being supported by several major industry figures, including DJ Hannah Wants, recording producer Alan Fitzpatrick and hip hop group So Solid Crew founder and frontman Dwayne Vincent.

The capital has hosted several major protests across the weekend, including anti-lockdown, anti-Government and Black Lives Matter demonstrations.

Meanwhile, six people have been arrested after an Extinction Rebellion "free the press" protest on Sunday morning saw tonnes of manure dumped outside the offices of the Daily Mail newspaper.

The Metropolitan Police said a group of protesters emptied a truck outside a property in Young Street, Kensington, at around 6.40am.

The force said the group also "climbed scaffolding on the outside of the building and hung banners from it".

The environmental protest group said it had made a "surprise visit" to the newspaper HQs at Northcliffe House in west London.

Five people were arrested for an offence under Section 148 of the Highways Act - placing "anything whatsoever on a highway to the interruption of any user" - with four of the five also arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

The Met also confirmed a 54-year-old man attempted to empty manure from a truck onto the pavement outside a building believed to house the owners of the Daily Telegraph on Buckingham Palace Road, Victoria, an hour later.

"Had he succeeded," a spokesperson said, "it would have caused disruption to employees and members of the public."

"Proactive police intervention prevented him from dumping the manure."