LONDON (AP) – Police in the English city of Bristol say they arrested 10 people during the third night of protest against a new police law.
Hundreds of protesters against police, crime, convictions and the courts staged a protest in front of a police station in the south-west of England on Friday night, and some fought with officers in helmets and shields who tried to break the assembly.
Avon and Somerset police said on Saturday that eggs, bottles and bricks were thrown at officers and a police horse was covered in paint.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned what he called “shameful attacks on Bristol police officers”.
“Our officers should not be confronted with bricks, bottles and fireworks thrown at them by a mob intent on raping and damaging the materials,” he said on Twitter. “The police and the city have my full support.”
The controversial bill, which is currently passing through Parliament, gives the police stronger powers to restrict protests. Two other “Kill the Bill” demonstrations against Bristol law this week also clashed. Police blamed a minority of people who caused trouble, including mostly peaceful protesters.
But some have accused the force of a difficult response and exaggerating the extent of the officers’ injuries. Police initially claimed that two suffered broken bones during a protest that turned into a riot on Sunday. The force later said no officers were injured, but 40 were slightly injured.
Police Inspector Mark Runacres said officers “showed exceptional patience in the face of significant disturbance” and used “reasonable force.”
Police conduct and priorities in the UK have come under heavy scrutiny following the death of Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old Londoner who went missing on her way to a friend’s house on March 3. A police officer on duty was charged with killing her.
Tensions rose when police broke a vigil in Everard’s memory because they violated coronavirus restrictions, except for mass rallies.