A mass city centre brawl broke out hours after Boris Johnson announced the new national lockdown, which comes into force on Thursday.
Up to 30 people were seen fighting in Exeter city centre over the weekend, with witnesses saying bottles were thrown and people were kicked on the ground during the free-for-all.
A passer-by filmed part of the brawl as he was walking down High Street at around 10.10pm on Saturday.
It shows one man being flattened by a punch while others around him tussle and throw punches. Police were on the scene in minutes.
The witness told DevonLive : "I was walking through Exeter city centre after leaving the gym and town was horrendously busy with people drinking, shouting and screaming in huge groups.
"There was a man being restrained on the floor outside of the Chevalier pub whilst a girl is stood screaming and trying to slap the security restraining him.
"The man on the floor was sweating and spitting at people.
At the same time a huge fight broke out on the opposite side of the road, 20-30 people in a brawl, bottles being thrown, people being stomped on.
"I called the police as it was spreading onto the road, and multiple calls had been made.
"Police were there within minutes and this huge group spread out everywhere I had to walk through the Cathedral Green in order to get to my car, and a group of lads behind me were bragging about hitting “so many people” or “broke a bottle over his head”.
The witness, who does not want to be named, said he had changed the time he leaves work just to avoid the large number of boozed up revellers in the city centre, many not wearing masks and hanging around in large groups.
The Mirror Online has approached Devon and Cornwall Police for a comment.
