@edwardlawrence.bsky.social @laujessie.bsky.social

I sent in an email with a pitch relating to China. Using the just-started demolition of a 20,000-room Covid quarantine hospital that only got used for two weeks as an argument against the Zombie idea of China's long-term planning. Please do have a look, I'm looking forward to your thoughts!

The protest started at 2pm - with speakers including MPs and dissidents - police cleared the protest at 4pm with threats of arrest if people didn't leave. Protesters blocked roads outside old Royal Mint for at least an hour. At least two arrests and two people fainted/collapsed.

Followed by a second arrest.

This was followed by protesters trying to block the police van driving off and chants to let the protester go - there was a lot of back and forth shoving and at least one protesters thrown to the ground by police.

Protesters occupied the streets around the embassy blocking off traffic. Police warned that if people didn't leave the street there would be arrests but protesters remained. There were two arrests - here's a video of the first.

A yellow and black (colours of Hong Kong's protest movement) umbrella (symbol of the 2014 and 2019 protests) with the traditional Chinese characters for fearless.

There were almost 30 groups involved in organising with Hong Kongers, Tibetan, Uyghur, Chinese, Taiwanese and more turning up. However, the overwhelming majority of protesters were Hong Kongers - lots of black protest gear, umbrellas, masks, and flags. Reminiscent of protests in Hong Kong.

There were two arrests I saw and a lot of shoving as protesters tried to stop the police van with arrested protesters drive away. Separately, two people fainted/collapsed and ambulances called for them.

Was quite large, roads including tower bridge were blocked by protesters and there were at least two arrests.