News / Kill the Bill riot
‘One of the biggest suspect appeals ever’ launched in wake of Bristol riot
Cleaning teams had already swept in to clear most of the carnage outside Bridewell Police Station soon after first light on Monday morning.
Wooden boards covered the windows smashed in clashes the night before and force bosses stood in front of them to condemn the violence that saw vehicles set alight and left 20 officers injured.
Chief constable Andy Marsh has vowed to leave no stone unturned as he plans to launch “one of the biggest appeals for wanted suspects that we’ve ever done” in the wake of what he called a very difficult night of policing.
is needed now More than ever
Sunday afternoon began with a peaceful protest against the government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill, which would change how protests are policed and would make certain aspects of the Coronavirus Act permanent.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1135513360225671
Things escalated into the night as an estimated 400 to 500 people gathered outside Bridewell Police Station.
They were met with officers in riot gear and batons and violence ensued, leaving a dozen police vehicles damaged and two officers in hospital with broken bones, one of them also had a punctured lung.
As of Monday morning, seven people had been arrested, six for violent disorder and one for possession of an offensive weapon, and a full investigation is now underway.
The cost of the damage and the ensuing investigation is expected to run into millions of pounds.
Marsh told Bristol24/7 arresting more people at the scene – with “missiles, fireworks and stones being thrown” – would not have been sensible.
“I feel the crowd contained many people who were determined to get involved in a violent confrontation with the police,” he said, adding that it is probably the most significant disorder seen on the streets of Bristol since the Stokes Croft riots in 2011.
The chief constable said nine of the cars damaged in the riot were used by a safeguarding team that works to protect some of the most vulnerable people in Bristol.
In a statement, he said: “Let’s be clear, the wanton violence and destruction had nothing to do with protest – it was committed by those looking for an excuse to commit disorder. The scenes we witnessed yesterday were shameful and I know will be condemned by the whole city.
Marsh added: “A tactical decision was made to deal with these criminals retrospectively and not make a significant number of arrests last night, which would have impacted significantly on our resources at the scene and created a greater risk of damage to property and injuries to the reduced number of officers left to deal with the disorder.”
Police and crime commissioner Sue Mountstevens also spoke out to condemn the violence, saying: “20 officers were injured last night and this is unacceptable. These men and women went to work yesterday with public safety as their number one priority and still faced a level of violence that cannot be justified.
“Such a violent demonstration is shameful at any time, let alone during a pandemic that has seen local people make many sacrifices.”
Joining police bosses outside Bridewell on Monday morning, mayor Marvin Rees called the violence “an expression of political illiteracy”.
“What they’ve done is engaged in violence that is going to be used for those who support the bill,” Rees told Bristol24/7.
“These people should not even be mentioned in the same breath as the very legitimate debate there is to be had over the bill, which has all sorts of points of concern.”
The clashes on Sunday that made national headlines come nine months after Bristol was thrust onto the global stage when the statue of slave trader Edward Colston was toppled from its plinth and thrown into the water.
The mayor said it had been a source of great pride that the city had dealt with its differences without violent clashes, saying: “These people last night tried to take that from us and that I hope a rallying point for the city that we do not allow them to do that.”
Cleaning teams clear graffiti from outside Bridewell Police Station on Monday morning – photo by Ellie Pipe
Read more: Bristol burns after peaceful protest turns into violent riot
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