The British government had put the machinery of government at work to ensure blackout of the anti-lockdown mass protest across North and Central London on April 24, 2021, participated by over 50,000 people. The government manipulation of the blackout was so perfect that the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) did not report the anti-lockdown protest in London.
Over 50,000 people took to the streets of London on 24 April 2021, protesting Covid lockdowns and other anti-freedom policies of government. Though, the protest was suppressed by BBC from being reported, few international media like Associated Press (AP), Reuters, covered the protest and reported it, accordingly.
Large crowds had assembled in London on April 24 to protest the imposition of coronavirus lockdown by the British government and the associated restrictions, including compulsory wearing of masks, as well as imposition of vaccine passports.
Britain is among the leading countries that enforce compulsory coronavirus vaccination of citizens and residents, yet restrictions and constraint of freedom have not been reversed.
The protesters marched through several arteries – the main shopping district Oxford Street, with videos and photos of the mass participants. Thousands extended their mass action to Hyde Park.
In addition to those on the streets, several websites and online platforms were used to mobilise more people for large turnout in the protest the Organisers tagged – Unite for Freedom – in defiance of the restrictions mandating outdoor gatherings to 30 people.
Many questioned the imposed restrictions by the British government after the rollout of vaccines and the administering of over 45 million doses in the UK, raising suspicion that the government may not have firm belief in the vaccines.
However, no arrest was reported to be made by the police. The Metropolitan Police Service was, however, gathered to have given conditions for engaging in public protest in London. The Police on Twitter wrote: “Anyone coming into London for a protest must make sure their gathering is lawful, with a risk assessment carried out by the organizer.
“Officers are on site and will continue to engage with those present.”
Anti-lockdown protests have been spreading across many countries of the world and most governments are beginning to soften down on lockdowns. The statistics of coronavirus infection shows that lockdown or any of the protocols for preventing the spread of the virus all failed to give the desired results. In countries most hit by coronavirus, the figures rose astronomically during lockdowns and imposition of restriction by governments.
Yet, in most African countries, essentially Nigeria, higher figures were said to have recovered from coronavirus infection without vaccines after few days of isolation.
The protesters are further questioning the continued restriction of their freedom and human rights by their government as the figures of deaths are declining, even new cases are also on the decline. Many are asking: “why continuous lockdown or restrictions after rolling out vaccines and spending public funds in billion to secure the vaccines? The protests have continued to spread, thereby, forcing several governments to reconsider lockdowns.
In Nigeria. the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 transformed into Presidential Steering Committee (PSC), after the PTF duration expired on March 31, 2021, having self-allocated modified mandate to the committee. Unfortunately, the transition was done at a time the claimed rate of coronavirus infection had drastically dropped.
To justify the continuity of the committee, the chairman, Boss Mustapha, resorted to impose renewed restrictions under the guise of trying to prevent resurgence of coronavirus spike in the country.
Clearly, the PTF had been implementing stereotype intervention decision, imitating directives in Europe and America where coronavirus were observed to have real outbreak and noticeable hazards. Meanwhile, the plot by the Boss Mustapha committee to re-introduce unjustified lockdown in Nigeria has been generating apprehension across the country, with threats of resistance.
Source: Nationdaily Ng
