A protest against a police power-building bill escalated Friday night in Bristol, west England, and 10 people were arrested, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson denouncing ‘shameful attacks’ on the regard to the police.
The “majority” of the 1,000 people gathered on Friday to protest against a bill – including provision for increasing the powers of the police in the face of non-violent protests – “acted peacefully,” Officer Mark Runacres said on Saturday, “but a minority has once again shown hostility towards the police ”.
“Objects, including glass bottles and bricks, were thrown at the officers, fireworks were launched on our equestrian section and one of our horses was painted over,” he said. he detailed in a statement from the police in Avon and Somerset, denouncing “violent and unacceptable behavior”.
A total of 10 people were arrested for violence and assault. One of them has since been fined, while the other nine are still in custody, the statement said. Three of them had already been arrested the previous Sunday, after a similar demonstration, which had also degenerated, had led to the hospitalization of two police officers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson denounced in a tweet “shameful attacks against officers”.
“Our officers should not have to face bricks, bottles and fireworks thrown at them by a crowd determined to use violence and cause material damage,” he said. his “full support” for the police and the City.
“Disgusted by these troubles in Bristol”, the Minister of the Interior Priti Patel also denounced on Twitter the attitude of this “criminal minority”, “thugs who only intended to cause problems”.
This is the third demonstration to degenerate in the space of a week in Bristol, where the police had already made 10 arrests on Sunday and 14 more on Tuesday.
Despite the ban on mass gatherings in England due to the coronavirus pandemic, several more demonstrations to protest against the bill to increase police powers are scheduled for Saturday, including in London, Manchester, Sheffield and Nottingham.