A removable gripping device for a container has two clamp-forming elements which are mounted to a gripping body, one of which can move longitudinally between an open position and a closed position; and movement elements which are designed to move the mobile element. According to the invention, the device also has locking devices which can move between an active position and a locking position in which they prevent the lever from rotating and moving from the retracted position to the deployed position thereof.