By Ben Kerrigan And Victoria Mckeown-
Protesters have tried to storm a government office housing some of the country’s leading vaccine experts.
Videos posted on social media fom the scene show the demonstrators clashing with police in the Canary Wharf area of London.
A large crowd attempted to gain entry to the headquarters the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the body responsible for authorising Covid-19 jabs.police were already in the vicinity for another protest by extinction rebellion making them better prepared for this protest.
A livestream of the incident showed hundreds marching through the area towards the office before a smaller group tried to force the door open.They were prevented from getting in by a handful of security guards on the other side before being pushed back by a column of police officers after a physical struggle.
One officer can be seen throwing a punch at one of the protesters after being struck in the face.
More police arrived to secure the building but protesters remained outside for at least an hour listening to speeches over a loudspeaker.
Most antivaxxers are insistent that the vaccine is potentially harmful and has killed many people , though statistics has it that just 1% of people have diedas a result of the vaccine.
One protester, Marlon Andrews, tood this publication: ” Its a bad idea offering the vaccine to children’whats the world coming to? Many people have died from the vaccinene, why gamble with the lives of children?
According to statistics, just 1 % of those who have been vaccinated globally have died from complications related to the vaccine. When challenged with the fact that vaccinated children will have to re eive consent from their parents, Andrew’s disputed this fact, saying that schools will be allowed to give children under 16 the vaccine without parent consent. After insisting to him that he had had been misinformed in that respect, MrAndrews still felt the idea was bad for children.
Another protester, Leila Reid told this publication: ” the scheduled programme to vaccinate children is a nightmare for our present world. We must stand up against this, children can die accidentally, even one life among children is not worth risking”.
Asked why she is so bothered given the requirement for parental consent , she said:”because children should not be offered this va cine full stop. Those children whose parents don’t consent to it will soon be subjected to peer pressure by their friends. It is creating a two tier society, not just among adults but among children.The MHRA received global praise when it became the first health agency in the world to approve a Covid-19 vaccine.
Experts fast-tracked protocols to sign off the lifesaving Pfizer jab in December 2020, getting the UK’s vaccine programme going before other countries.
The protest comes as the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation prepares to give the government its final recommendation on the booster jab programme.
The committee’s deputy chairman Professor Anthony Harnden said this week that it is ‘highly likely’ there will be a booster programme, but a final decision has not been made.
He said the committee is awaiting the results of the Cov-Boost study, which is looking at different vaccines to see what immune responses they give and whether jabs can be mixed and matched.
Ministers are preparing to begin the programme this month in order raise immunity levels in older and vulnerable people before the winter.
Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt has urged the government to begin the programme as soon as possible.
He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Friday: ‘I understand why scientists are taking their time but I think in a pandemic politicians can also read the rooms and see the direction of travel.
‘I think Anthony Harnden, on your programme yesterday gave a very clear hint… that they are likely to recommend boosters.
‘In a pandemic I think even a few days can make a big difference. So I think we should just get on, not wait for that advice, get on with a booster