LONDON (AP) – A protest in the English city of Bristol against the new police legislation has turned into violent clashes that have left at least 20 policemen injured – two of them seriously – widespread damage to a police station and police vehicles on fire, police said. on Monday.
Seven people were arrested during the protest, which started on Sunday afternoon and lasted until the early hours of Monday morning. Police said the number of arrests is likely to increase in the next few days as police study images of the television circuit.
The violence, which also caused damage to several police vehicles, was considered “unacceptable” by Britain’s interior minister, Priti Patel.
“Theft and disorder by a minority will never be tolerated,” she said.
What started as a peaceful demonstration of about 3,000 people at College Green, in the heart of the city in western England, has become violent after hundreds of protesters stormed the New Bridewell police station.
Many protesters wore masks and carried signs criticizing the legislation, such as “Say no to the UK police state” and “Freedom to protest is fundamental to democracy”.
Protesters were ostensibly expressing their anger at the government’s bill on Police, Crime, Penalties and Courts, which is currently being passed in parliament. According to the terms of the legislation, which covers England and Wales, the police will be given new powers to deal with the demonstrations.
Sue Mountstevens, police and crime commissioner for the Avon and Somerset region, said seven people were arrested, but there would be “much more” detained.
“It is shameful and outrageous,” she said. “The police went to work yesterday and some came home via hospital beaten and bruised.”
Protesters tried to break the glass-fronted police station windows and damaged 12 vehicles, including two that were set on fire.
Andy Marsh, chief of police for Avon and Somerset, said 12 police vehicles had been damaged and “significant damage” was done to the New Bridewell police station.
“The police were shot at with rocks, missiles and fireworks and it was a terrible situation for them to deal with,” he said.
“I believe that yesterday’s events were hijacked by extremists, people who were determined to commit criminal damage, to generate very negative feelings about policing and to attack our brave officers,” he added.
Two of the injured policemen were treated at the hospital after fracturing ribs and an arm. Both have already been discharged.
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees, who said he had “big concerns” about the project, condemned the violence and said the unrest would be used to justify the legislation.
One of the reasons why the British government passed new legislation on police powers in relation to the protests is related to last summer’s anti-racism protests, including the fall of a statue of the slave trader, Edward Colston, in Bristol.