Teenager is one of four protesters held after blockade of Westminster Bridge

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer after protesters emulating the gilets jaunes demonstrations in France blockaded Westminster Bridge and stopped traffic around parliament.

She was one of four suspects arrested for taking part in the demonstration, which had apparently not been arranged in advance with police. The others detained were all men arrested for alleged public order offences.

According to reports, about 100 demonstrators took part in the protest, which began at 11am on Saturday with a blockade of Westminster Bridge. They moved on to Parliament Square, where they set off smoke bombs and sat in the roads.

The disruption caused tailbacks and diversions, according to Transport for London, which said buses serving the area had been delayed and subsequently diverted.

The Metropolitan police’s Westminster division reported the arrests on its Twitter feed. It said: “Four arrests have been made following protests on Westminster Bridge, SW1 at approximately 11am today. Three men arrested on suspicion of public order offences.

“A 13-year-old girl was also arrested on suspicion of assault on police. Inquiries continue.”

According to a call to action circulated on social media, protesters met at 10.30am at Waterloo station before marching on Westminster bridge. Photos and video showed several dozen dressed in high-visibility vests blocking the bridge, waving union flags and burning an EU flag.

“No to globalists; yes to free freedom,” one man shouts in the footage shared on Periscope, before the group collectively raise their voices in a song of “bye bye EU”, to the tune of Auld Lang Syne.