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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Andrew Bardsley & Josie Le Vay

Hundreds of protesters storm Arndale Centre during huge NHS vaccination demonstration

Hundreds of anti-vaccination protesters stormed the Arndale Centre after staging a city centre demonstration this afternoon (January 22).

People holding flags, placards and handing out leaflets entered the busy precinct, as shoppers went about their weekend routines.

It came after protesters had marched around the city centre, signing songs and demonstrating against the Government's decision to make coronavirus vaccinations mandatory for healthcare staff.

READ MORE : 'Callous' teen killers filmed chasing Reece Tansey - just moments before leaving him dying on the street

Placards featured slogans including 'No NHS mandates', 'nurses against mandates' and 'my body my choice'.

The protest originally began at 1pm on Piccadilly Gardens, as people gathered before marching down Market Street and then turning onto Deansgate.

When people moved onto Oxford Street, some apparent healthcare staff hung up their scrubs, featuring details of their jobs and how long they'd worked for.

After 3pm, the demonstration then moved into the shopping centre, with people congregating in the Exchange Court area, outside Next and River Island stores.

Protesters then began to march around the shopping centre.

Chants of 'the masks do not work' and 'pull down your masks, what have you got to hide' could be heard.

The protests have affected bus services this afternoon, and the Metrolink was also briefly affected after some demonstrators blocked a tram.

Some passengers forced the doors of the tram open, so they didn't have to wait for the disruption to be cleared.

Coun Pat Karney, Manchester council's city centre spokesman, tweeted: "We are going to have cat and mouse all afternoon as they attempt to disrupt the city centre.

"Most of them are troublemakers from outside our city.

"You are entitled to your flawed views but grow up."

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