Remembrance Sunday: Police filmed pushing kilted bagpiper to ground at veterans' protest

Police are investigating after a video emerged which appears to show officers pushing a kilted piper to the ground near a Remembrance Sunday event.
The video appears to show a piper pushed to the floor by a Metropolitan Police officer.The video appears to show a piper pushed to the floor by a Metropolitan Police officer.
The video appears to show a piper pushed to the floor by a Metropolitan Police officer.

The footage, which is circulating on social media, shows a man in Scottish dress playing the bagpipes in the Whitehall area of London near the Cenotaph.

The confrontation happened at a protest about the impact of strict coronavirus restrictions on marking Remembrance Sunday events in the capital.

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Police can be seen forming a wall and preventing protesters, some of whom are understood to be veterans, from passing.

However the piper, who is initially playing close to the police line, turns to try to step past officers who are seen to push him away.

The kilt-clad man falls to the floor and a confrontation ensues.

A spokeswoman for the Met Police told The Scotsman: “Police are aware of a video circulating online which shows an officer using force after a man had tried to enter a restricted area in Whitehall SW1.

"The actions of the officer will be looked at in the wider context of this incident.

"The man had previously been asked to wait while the restricted area was opened up and he would be able to attend the Cenotaph.

"The road had been closed off as the Remembrance Sunday event this year was a closed ceremony due to Covid restrictions.”

It is understood a man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and remains in police custody.

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In the past seven days a total of 2,327 people have died after contracting coronavirus, including 156 in the past 24 hours.

Event organisers were asked to maintain social distancing rules at any Remembrance Sunday events nationwide, and take details for ‘test and trace’ gathered together for a moment’s silence.

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon laid a wreath on behalf of the people of Scotland at the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle to mark Remembrance Sunday.

At a restricted service, Ms Sturgeon delivered a reading honouring the memory of soldiers who died in conflict, while paying tribute to veterans and current servicemen and women.

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