Four police officers have been injured after anti-vaccine protests in London turned violent, the Metropolitan Police said.

“A number of protesters became violent towards police” during demonstrations across the capital on Friday, the Met tweeted.

The force condemned the violence as “unacceptable” and said that four of its officers suffered injuries in clashes with protesters.

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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. Updates to follow.

Hundreds of anti-coronavirus vaccine demonstrators have gathered in London, with a group trying to storm the headquarters of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) earlier in the day.

Social media footage showed police holding people back from the entrance of the UK regulator in Cabot Square, Canary Wharf.

Police said of the incident: “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.

“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.”

Local councillor Andrew Wood added that ‘anti-vax’ leaflets were being handed out in the area.

Protests later moved west of the city to South Kensington, police said.

The MHRA is the body responsible for approving the use of coronavirus vaccines in the UK.

It is then down to the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to manage the rollout according to age and clinical need.

Today the JCVI recommended that only 12 to 15-year-olds with certain underlying conditions should be given COVID jabs and that there is not enough evidence to justify the entire age group getting a vaccine.

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