Ex-Coronation Street actor Sean Ward was among ten people arrested today as a violent mob of anti-vaxxers battled with police in Canary Wharf.
Thee protesters battled with officers as they attempted to get through the doors of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)’s headquarters in east London.
Four officers were hurt as protesters tried to storm the HQ where Covid jabs were approved.
Soap actor Ward, who also starred in Doctors and Our Girl, was seen in video clips struggling with police officers who were attempting to detain him.
He was later pictured being walked away in handcuffs. It is not yet known what the 33-year-old has been accused of. The protest later moved on to South Kensington, with Scotland Yard confirming a total of ten arrests so far.
Earlier today he shared clips on his Instagram showing the anti-vaxxer protests as they moved through London. Ward had previously joined protests at studios where ITV and the BBC film.
A line of Scotland Yard officers guarded the entrance to the building in Canary Wharf, East London, to prevent hundreds of demonstrators getting inside.
The MHRA is a Government body regulating medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion – and is responsible for approving Covid-19 vaccines.
It is understood the campaigners travelled to the capital today to protest vaccinations for children.
However, officials at the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) confirmed this afternoon that they won’t recommend jabs for healthy youngsters aged 12 to 15.
The officers were already in the area for a separate protest by Extinction Rebellion activists who have been holding two weeks of environmental demonstrations.
Later on, the force confirmed four Metropolitan Police officers had been injured in another protest by the anti-vaxxers in the South Kensington area of Central London.
A Scotland Yard spokesman said this afternoon: ‘We have officers attending a demonstration outside a commercial building on Cabot Square in Canary Wharf. A number of officers are on scene, guarding the entrance to the building.
Ex-Coronation Street actor Sean Ward was arrested today after taking part in anti-vaccination protests in east London. A violent mob of were seen battling with police in Canary Wharf as they tried to force their way into the headquarters of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
Anti-vaxxer protesters face off with police officers at Canary Wharf in East London today
Soap actor Ward, who also starred in Doctors and Our Girl, was seen in video clips struggling with police officers who were attempting to detain him. He was later pictured being walked away in handcuffs
Demonstrators remonstrate with police officers in the demonstration in Canary Wharf today
Protesters scuffle with police officers during the protest outside the MHRA building today
Hundreds of protesters remonstrate with police officers today in Canary Wharf, East London
Protesters take part in a demonstration outside the MHRA offices in Canary Wharf today
‘Officers also continue to attend a demonstration by a separate group in Canary Wharf along Bank Street. Arrests have been made and units remain on scene.’
The force later added: ‘The group have moved off and travelled to the area around South Kensington. Public order officers are on scene.’
Scotland Yard then confirmed several police officers had been injured, saying: ‘A number of protesters have become violent towards police. Four of our officers have been injured during clashes. This is unacceptable. We remain on scene.’
Last month anti-vaxxer protesters raided the former BBC News building at White City in West London, apparently unaware that the corporation vacated it in 2013.
And last week they occupied the headquarters of ITV News and Channel 4 News in the capital, chasing presenter Jon Snow into one of the building’s side entrances.
Anti-vaxxer protesters gather outside the building in Canary Wharf, East London, today
Police officers stand guard outside the offices in Canary Wharf, East London, this afternoon
A line of police officers stand guard during the protest in Canary Wharf this afternoon
Anti-vaxxers scuffle with police at the London offices of Britain’s medicines regulator today
The protesters battled with officers outside the offices of Britain’s medicines regulator today
Scotland Yard spokesman said officers were guarding the building in Canary Wharf today
The protest in Canary Wharf today follows previous demonstrations in the capital last month
It comes as the Government has been urged to ‘get on’ with a coronavirus booster programme rather than waiting for advice from vaccine experts.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson appeared to confirm that a rollout will begin this month, saying older people are the priority as autumn and winter approach.
But the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is yet to provide a recommendation on boosters, with a final decision still to be made.
Pressure is also mounting for a decision on jabbing 12 to 15-year-olds, something the JCVI has also not yet recommended.
The chaotic scenes were witnessed outside the headquarters in Canary Wharf, East London
Chaos outside the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s headquarters
A line of Scotland Yard officers guarded the entrance to the building in Canary Wharf today
The officers were already in the area of Canary Wharf for a separate protest by another group
Scotland Yard said a ‘number of officers are on scene, guarding the entrance to the building’
The latest Government figures show that as of September 1, 72 per cent of the total UK population had received one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.
According to separate figures compiled by Our World in Data, this would place the UK behind countries including the UAE, Spain and Ireland.
Figures from Public Health England show the majority of people in hospital with Covid are under the age of 50 and 73 per cent of those are unvaccinated.
The figures, largely unchanged from a fortnight ago, also show that 64 per cent of people aged under 50 who died with Covid had not had a jab.
Meanwhile nearly 500 people have been arrested and 81 activists have been removed after gluing themselves to structures in the latest fortnight of XR protests.
The Metropolitan Police said there had been a total of 480 arrests in the capital since the environmental group began its ‘Impossible Rebellion’ on August 23.
The protests have seen activists scaling the seven-storey Tower Place West building in the City, occupying both London Bridge and Tower Bridge and blocking roads.
Police have defended themselves after being accused of heavy-handed tactics, with officers seen using batons and dragging protesters from a bus near London Bridge.