From coronavirus has passed 400,000. No new coronavirus deaths have been reported in scotland in the past 2a hours for the First Time Since lockdown began. But the uk death toll has risen by 77. A member of the Scientific Group advising the uk government says he wishes the country had gone into lockdown earlier. I wish we had gone into lockdown earlier. I think that has cost a lot of lives, unfortunately. Im sure that taking into account everything we knew at that moment, my view is that we made the right decisions at the right time. And in a weeks time places of worship in england will be opened for individual prayer. Hello, and welcome if youre watching in the uk or around the world, and stay with us for the latest news and analysis from here and across the globe. Thousands of protestors are gathered in Central London outside the American Embassy for an anti racism demonstration. 0ther protests are also being held around the uk, with 10,000 demonstrating in bristol. This is what the area looks like around the embassy on the south side of the river thames in london. It is in nine elms, that us embassy build five years ago. A highly state of the art embassy, with a moat there as well. Earlier the uk Health Secretary, matt hancock, repeated his call for people not to take part because of the risk of spreading coronavirus. Elsewhere in the uk, protestors in the city of bristol pulled down a statue of the 17th century slave trader, Edward Colston a number of landmarks in bristol are named after him. He was a philanthropist locally as well. Here in london, the demonstration began at 2. 00pm, with protestors kneeling in a tribute to george floyd. The 46 year old black man killed in minneapolis. Yesterdays demonstrations in london saw 29 people arrested after clashes with police and 1a officers were injured. Police chief Dame Cressida dick urged protesters to find another way of making their views heard, which does not involve coming out on the streets of london. 0ur correspondent, Chi Chi Izundu, is in Central London. That is, she was in Central London earlier, but i think we can go to oui earlier, but i think we can go to our home affairs correspondent. Tom symonds, is at downing street in Central London, where crowds are beginning to gather. What is happening . There has been a general move from the area near the embassy across Vauxhall Bridge and down the north side of the thames to downing street, where again a crowd has gathered outside downing street. I think what strikes me watching these protesters is the level of anger being demonstrated. But talking to some of the protesters as we walked down here, there is a feeling that they might be changing a perception in of racism in britain with his protest. Three in one week, which is quite unusual on top of Everything Else that has happened in the united states. But i have to say, it is very peaceful so far. Very loud, very angry but taking pa rt very loud, very angry but taking part ina very loud, very angry but taking part in a peaceful protest. But as we we re part in a peaceful protest. But as we were saying, damon cressida dick, the head of the metropolitan police, has urged people not to take to the streets. The guidelines, as they stand, are that only six people are allowed to crowd together, so they are breaking the rules with this. Thats right, but everyone has a right to protest. That is a right that nobody can gainsay, except for we have the coronavirus restrictions, which prohibit gatherings of more than six people. These are gatherings of thousands of people. A lot of protesters have said that they felt wrong footed in the way his description of the situation was he felt that racism was a pandemic and that needed his attention taking part in this protest as much as coronavirus. These people are not going to be persuaded that they should not be here and in fact the police earlier in the week said that the numbers involved meant that it was not right oi involved meant that it was not right or indeed safe, they felt, to try to stop these protests going ahead. I have seen previous protests during the coronavirus period where the police have gone up to protesters and tried to persuade them to go home, and indeed handed out fines and arrested people when they did refuse to go home. That is not happening here. The police are standing by and holding the line. Thank you very much from outside number ten. 0ur correspondent, Chi Chi Izundu, gave me the latest from Central London. This was outside the us embassy from about an hour ago. I dont know if you can see the people behind me, they have taken the knee in a peaceful protest and they are chanting that the uk is not innocent. They actually, when we have spoken to protesters here, which has just literally started officially, theyve said that racism is a pandemic enough, and they are aware about the dangers of spreading coronavirus, but they are going to try to keep a two metre distance and organisers have been handing out gloves and masks and reminding people to try to keep that two metre distance. They say whilst they can, they have the ear and the eyes of officials. And they will use the opportunity to get their voices heard. Chi chi, you are breaking up a little bit with your sound, but we will continue. Just looking from the air because the helicopter is up, is up, and just looking from the helicopter. We are talking about several thousand people, it would appear, there . There are several thousands of people and they started to congregate more than an hour and a half before the protest officially started. And the police allowed them to spill out onto the roads because there are so many people wanting to take part in this march and we must remember this is not just a london issue. There are marches taking place in nottingham, and in glasgow, people protesting peacefully. And there has been such an emphasis from organisers on maintaining a peaceful protest and that is what people here are trying to do. They are trying to make their voices heard. They have been chanting that silence is violence, and also that the uk is not innocent, so yes, whilst they are in line with the protests in america over the death of george floyd of more than a week ago, they want to highlight that there are racial tensions and racial issues that go on in the uk that go largely ignored. This is their opportunity to get their voices heard. Chi chi izundu there are a little earlier. This is just Chi Chi Izundu there are a little earlier. This isjust outside number ten and you can see the cenotaph there. I should think 1000 or so protesters gathering there at the moment. We were speaking just a few minutes to go home affairs correspondent. Everything peaceful, police not making any attempt to move anyone on or, as tom was explaining, issue any fines, as they have done in past weeks because of the social distancing guidelines are that no more than six people can gather, which obviously clearly being broken here. Police say 10,000 people are taking part in anti racism protests in bristol. Protesters in the city centre pulled down a statue of the 17th century slave trader and mp Edward Colston a number of landmarks in bristol are named after him. In the last few years there have been repeated calls to remove it, as colston is a controversial figure who made his fortune in the slave trade, but was also known as a philanthropist. He was behind hospitals, schools and houses. Earlier i spoke to the author and historian, professor david 0lusoga, who told me the statue should have been taken down a long time ago. As you said the statue was put up in 1895, he died in 1721, so the statue is almost two centuries after his death, and what it shows is not only that 17th century london and bristol were involved in the slave trade but that 19th century bristol still didnt care it was honouring a man involved in the slave trade. This is a city thats about 14 bame with a statue of somebody who was notjust a slave trader, he was involved in the royal africa company, the company that trafficked more people into slavery than any in british history. The fact that it has not been seen as a problem for such a long time, that so many people are confused as to why the statue offends and upset so many people and upsets so many people has been the problem. But arent people mature enough to realise that this statue is of a man who, in his era, did things which are abhorrent, of course, to any right thinking person today, but that is the Historical Context and we dont need to erase history to understand that . Removing statues is not erasing history and this is the constant accusation made of people who have been digging into this history, trying to make the city more aware of who colston was, doing everything they can to raise the profile of the atlantic slave trade, and what has happened here is people have asked for the statue to be put in a museum, people have attempted to put plaques on the statue, explaining this wealth that was bequeathed to the city was born from the atlantic slave trade and all of those attempts have been thwarted, all of those efforts have been dismissed and patronised, and im afraid today this should never have happened because the statute should have been taken down and it should have been a great collective day for bristol when the statue was peacefully taken down and put in a museum, which is where, after all, we remember history properly. So its not about statues, its about understanding history. But statues arent the mechanism by which we understand history, we learn history through museums, books and television programmes. Statues are about adoration, about saying this man was a great man and he did great things. That is not true. He was a slave trader and a murderer. Professor david 0lusoga, speaking to mea professor david 0lusoga, speaking to me a little earlier. The number of people confirmed to have been killed by the coronavirus around the world has now passed a00,000, just five months after china reported the first known fatality. For the first time no new deaths have been recorded in scotland. 0vernight 77 people have died in the uk. Here a Senior Scientist and a member of the group who advises the uk government on their coronavirus strategy has said he wishes britain had locked down sooner, and the failure to do so cost a lot of lives. Britains Health Secretary, matt hancock, denied that the timing of the lockdown had led to more deaths, and insisted the government made the right decisions at the right time, guided by the science. Richard galpin reports. The beautiful weather of recent weeks brought thousands to the beaches. Social distancing often difficult or simply not followed. So, its no surprise the so called r number, the rate at which coronavirus spreads, has now increased, according to some reports. 0ne computer model shows that in most areas of england the rate is thought to be just below the figure of one, except in the south west, where its estimated to be right on one, and in the north west, its just above one, which means increasing infections. Also today, theres been an admission of mistakes made back in march, on a decision when the country should have locked down. We should have gone into lockdown earlier. I think it would have been hard to do it. I think the data that we were dealing with in the early part of march and our kind of Situational Awareness was really quite poor. I wish we had gone into lockdown earlier. I think that has cost a lot of lives, unfortunately. But this morning, the Health Secretary flatly denied the lockdown had come too late. We took the right decisions at the right time and theres a broad range on sage, of scientific opinion, and we followed. We were guided by the science, which means guided by the balance of that opinion, as expressed to ministers through the chief medical officer and the chief scientific adviser. Thats the right way for it to have been done. On top of all this, its become clear that theres disquiet in the key cities and towns of north west england about the handling of the pandemic. That they need much more local information on the spread of the virus and questioning the governments decision on lifting the lockdown. Youve been saying that the lockdown was lifted too early in the north west, do you think that actually having different measures in different parts of the country is the best way or perhaps the only way go forward now . Way to go forward now . Im not calling for the north west to break away and challenge government policy and do our own thing. What were saying today is we want to get back to a sense of Greater National unity. Essentially, what we want is a National Approach that can be flexed to respond to local needs. So, the first thing is localised information, which basically allows some differential messaging from Public Health directors where thats necessary. So, the localised information helps. And the second thing is greater flexibility. The mayor of Greater Manchester is also questioning whether its wise for the government to allow many shops to open onjune 15th. Richard galpin, bbc news. 0ur political correspondent, helen catt, explained how difficult the choices were going to be for the government over the next few days and weeks. Yes, some really fine judgments for the uk government and the devolved administrations in scotland, wales and Northern Ireland about where to go next with lockdown. In the coming days, borisjohnson will set out some of the plans he has for changes to come into effect on june 15th, a week tomorrow. Now, of course that isnt getting us into the third phase of that road map that he set out at all in england. That is still injuly, so what we would expect to hear over the next few days are perhaps small changes, like we have heard this morning already about places of worship starting to open for individual prayer. That is the sort of adjustment we would expect to hear about in the next few days. We are also getting a sense though about downing street may be looking further beyond the immediate crisis. The Prime Minister plans to make a speech later in the summer about how the uk can recover from coronavirus. He has previously said that it is unlikely to be around austerity and he has got a lot of voters who lent their votes to the conservatives this time that he needs to talk to there as well. There is a sense they are starting to look a bit further, but any of that micro macro stuff is all going to depend on keeping that infection rate down and being able to continue with this. There is some disagreement with this about where the r number is at the moment. 0n the future of the economy, hospitality, it is a massive driver for the economy and unless that social distancing rule is changed or reduced a lot of places are going to go under, arent they . That is one of the fine judgments that the government is going to have to look at. Of course, sectors like aviation and the Tourism Industry have been particularly hard hit and the longer lockdown goes on the longer they will be hit because of course you get a lot of summer trade. Those are exactly the sort ofjudgments the government is currently having to weigh against, notjust the economy, but also the health risks of people staying in lockdown, against the health risks of coronavirus and where the r rate is. The official estimates of the r rate that come from sage to put it between 0. 7 and 0. 9. That is still not very far from one, so it doesnt give them a huge amount of movement. The headlines on bbc news. Thousands of demonstrators are gathering across the uk to protest against racism after the Police Killing of george floyd in the us. In bristol, protestors have pulled down the statue of the 17th century slave trader and philantrhopist, Edward Colston. The number of people worldwide who have died from coronavirus has passed 400,000. In the united states, huge protests have continued in cities across the country at the killing in Police Custody of the black american, george floyd. Crowds once again converged on the white house in washington dc. And President Trump has tweeted that he has just given an order for the National Guard to start withdrawing from washington, d. C. , now that everything is under what he describes as perfect control. 0ur north america correspondent, aleem maqbool, has more. He was outside the white house in dc. Nojustice no peace it was the biggest demonstration washington has seen since the killing of george floyd. But with none of the confrontation with Security Forces that we had seen previously. They sent in the National Guard, the National Guard here on the streets, they were tear gassing people, shooting them with rubber bullets, you know, really perpetuating Police Brutality and violence on the streets of washington dc. Were still getting arrested, were still getting pulled over, were still getting discriminated in everything in american life, so we got to fight, not for now, but for the future. We may be just outside the white house, but the sense we get through speaking to people here is that this has now gone beyond just getting the message across to donald trump. What people are telling us is that they have now really given up on him doing the right thing. Instead, the focus has become changing the system, individuals and police departments. I have cried every day since i have been seeing the protest, out of just pure joy that finally, finally, the voices are being heard. At the same time as the demonstration in washington, there was a Memorial Service for george floyd in north carolina, close to where he was born. These Images Associated with this will affect all of our lives for the rest of our lives. George floyds body will now continue its finaljourney, but the reverberations of his death will be felt long beyond his funeral in texas on tuesday. Aleem maqbool, bbc news, in washington. Since the killing of george floyd, outrage has spread across the world with protests, rallies and marches. Social media has been filled with photos and videos of artists marking floyds death with their paintings, projections, murals and photography. Many of the artists have used their creativity to paint the current struggle against anti black racism. We can speak now to 0tha davis the third a los angeles artist known as vakseen. His newest painting is a colourful celebration of George Floyds life. Took us through why you do this and what you wanted to get across in terms of the way you interpreted George Floyds life now in death . Well, the moment this happened it felt all too familiar. It is a disgusting feeling and you know, i think bigger than that is being unheard and having these situations looked over and washed over. So, immediately, i knewi looked over and washed over. So, immediately, i knew i wanted to paint something iconic so where, when you saw this portrait, you would never forget, not when you saw this portrait, you would neverforget, notjust this moment, you know, and the horrific aspect, and that tone, but to bring aspect, and that tone, but to bring a whole new light, to give his life and legacy a vibrant energy and just to celebrate it and two, bigger than anything, highlight these injustices that continue to happen over and over and over, time and time again, with no sort ofjustice had handed down. And when we look at this picture, which we are seeing now, vakseen, you picture, which we are seeing now, va kseen, you have picture, which we are seeing now, vakseen, you have painted it obviously in life, a very smiling figure, it is surrounded by flowers, by nature, by colour. What are you saying there, by the design of the creation of that picture . Itjust symbolises life. Unfortunately, he was taken away far too soon. You know, dying in your 40s is u nfortu nately a consistent know, dying in your 40s is unfortunately a consistent thing amongst lacks and that is just way too young, so i wanted to amongst blacks and i wanted to celebrate his life in a vibrant way and bring a Youthful Energy to this portrait as well because he should be alive to this day. Do you get the sense that actually George Floyds death is going to bring about some sort of change . Iam going to bring about some sort of change . I am old enough to remember the riots, the rodney king riots and not much has really changed since then, has it . Nothing has changed at all. Same day, different situation. You know, i have may be a little bit more hope with this instance, just because look what is happening. You know, it happened at a time when we we re know, it happened at a time when we were already down on our needs, so to speak. Everybody has been quarantined, you have the coronavirus just running rampant. And you know, i think it impacts people on a different level. People have an opportunity to digest it and eve ryo ne have an opportunity to digest it and everyone is at home doing nothing, so you know, you are getting hit left and right with this bath for this man and his life taken away from him. Forthis this man and his life taken away from him. For this and go for this man. We are already seeing change occur. We are seeing protest going around worldwide, we are seeing black lives matter painted everywhere. We are seeing a lot of things that i definitely instilling hope, but there is so much more change that needs to occur. This is just the beginning. This is barely the appetiser, there isjust just the beginning. This is barely the appetiser, there is just so just the beginning. This is barely the appetiser, there isjust so much more that needs to be done to invoke change. A lot of that is systemic and embedded, so therejust change. A lot of that is systemic and embedded, so there just a change. A lot of that is systemic and embedded, so therejust a lot change. A lot of that is systemic and embedded, so there just a lot of work that needs to be done. I hope this sparks this major, mass awakening and we can just get to a level of equality because we are all people. How worried are you about the politicisation of this . President trump makes a point, and it is an accurate point, that where much of the violence is taking place and the demonstrations, they are held by democrats and the democratic record, in terms of policing, is certainly no better than republicans . Va kseen, certainly no better than republicans . Vakseen, on that question, im sorry, you havejust frozen. So we have lost. Can you hear me . Yes. You are back. So i was just saying everybody is going to use what is going on for their cause and at the end of the day everything thatis and at the end of the day everything that is happening in the world can be boiled down to good versus evil. That is the only conversation that we need to be having instead of trying to pigeonhole it into this box or that box and make it fit your narrative. It is about, what do you wa nt to narrative. It is about, what do you want to stand up for . Right versus wrong. We are all equal, we should all have the same rights and that is just right versus wrong. Right, vakseen, thank just right versus wrong. Right, va kseen, thank you just right versus wrong. Right, vakseen, thank you very much indeed for joining vakseen, thank you very much indeed forjoining us here on bbc news. Thank you for having me. You are watching bbc news. Lets ta ke lets take you back to the scene in Central London. There was a large demonstration outside the us embassy inafew demonstration outside the us embassy in a few hours ago. That is breaking up in a few hours ago. That is breaking up now and a lot of the demonstrators have moved on the south bank from nine elms across the bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, up to whitehall and are gathering now outside number ten. There is the cenotaph and people there are protesting peacefully and we heard from my correspondent bear that it is all peaceful and the police are not making any attempt to break this up not making any attempt to break this up or indeed issuing any fines, which they have done in past weeks. Bearing in mind that the guidelines suggest that no more than, well, tell people that no more than six people can gather at any one time. More turmoil, though, in bristol. About 10,000 people gathered there. You might have seen some earlier pictures of the slave trader, Edward Colston, emergent slave trader and also a philanthropist in bristol in the 17th and 18th centuries. That statue of him has been torn down by protesters today and has been dumped in the weather, the weather even. The river even. The river avon. That has been a focal point for protesters in the past few years. 11,000 people signed a petition asking for the statue to be a move, we understand. It has now been removed. And thrown into the river. We will get more reaction to that here on bbc news. Lets catch up with some weather. Hello. After the warmth and sunshine of last weekend, this week and has been very different, cool, windy, we have had some outbreaks of rain. But the winds have been easing and will continue to do so as we head into tonight. Some showery rain across Eastern England will tend to fade and as the skies clear through scotland down into north east england its going to turn into a decidedly cool night, some spots in scotland could see a touch of frost. Not as cold down towards the south of england or the south of wales because here we will keep more cloud and the odd shower through the night. Tomorrow, though, a lot of dry weather around, a mixture of patchy cloud and sunny spells. Still one or two showers drifting across eastern scotland, across eastern counties of england. Maybe a shower for Northern Ireland and a heavy downpour or a thunderstorm is possible across wales or the south west. Some sunny spells for most as we close out the day with temperatures between 11 and 17 degrees. Another fine day for most on tuesday, but from mid week onwards it turns more unsettled with some rain at times, increasingly windy for the end of the week and quite humid by friday as well