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Crowds sing and dance in Leicester Square after pubs close at 10pm

People partied in Leicester Square moments after pubs and bars closed (Picture: Zora Suleman)
People partied in Leicester Square moments after pubs and bars closed (Picture: Zora Suleman)

This is the moment people partied in Leicester Square moments after pubs and bars closed at 10pm due to a curfew.

Footage showed a crowd gathering in central London and continuing to sing and dance on Friday night.

Music was also heard playing through a speaker at the location outside the Global radio company office.

Police eventually broke up the impromptu party and moved people on.

The footage was filmed and posted online by Zora Suleman:

The 10pm curfew was introduced across England, Wales and Scotland last month as part of efforts to combat a second wave of coronavirus.

But critics had warned the introduction of a curfew would mean people concentrated on to public transport at a specific time — proving detrimental to efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Shortly after the announcement, another video showed crowds gathered on Oxford Street after the 10pm closing time.

The curfew has also become a focus for anger within the Conservative Party, with many saying there is no evidence for a measure that could end up forcing local pubs and restaurants out of business.

Parliament will vote on Tuesday on the imposition of the rule, with a government defeat looking unlikely after Labour leader Keir Starmer said his party would not vote against the rule.

A video showed Oxford Street just after the 10pm curfew two weeks ago:

Meanwhile, London mayor Sadiq Khan warned on Friday the capital would face further lockdown measures soon in order to combat the spread of COVID-19.

The prime minister will make a statement to parliament on Monday about potential new lockdown restrictions, as the government seeks to tackle a rapidly accelerating infection rate.

The average daily number of COVID-19 cases in England has doubled in a week, a survey showed on Friday, but the government is facing growing opposition to lockdown measures which have wrought some of the worst economic damage in at least a century.

“The rising incidence in parts of the country mean that it is very likely that certain local areas will face further restrictions,” Edward Lister, a senior aide to the prime minister, said in a letter to MPs.

“The government is hoping to finalise these details as soon as possible. This pace is imperative if we are to control the spread of the virus.”

Watch: PM refuses to give scientific basis for 10pm curfew

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