www.thetimes.co.uk 
Protests involving more than two people will be prohibited during the lockdown, The Times understands.
Ministers are poised to remove any exemption for protesters and say the rules need to be clear and fair.
Priti Patel, the home secretary, briefed chief constables at the weekend and said that they would be expected to enforce the rules. However, some senior police officers are understood to be concerned that the move is too draconian for a liberal society.
A Whitehall source said that the government was not explicitly banning protests but a previous exemption, which allowed demonstrations to go forward under certain conditions despite the pandemic, would be removed. The source said it was designed to make the rules simpler, easier for police to enforce and fair.
