Police officers have been seriously injured and several emergency vehicles have been destroyed as protesters clash with police in Bristol this evening.
Demonstrators originally gathered to protest against plans to give the police more powers to deal with peaceful protests.
Hundreds of people gathered at College Green this afternoon for a Kill the Bill demonstration. Later, they marched through the city centre to a police station on New Bridewell Street.
Riot vans were rocked side to side by protesters, set on fire and sprayed with graffiti. Several vehicles have been destroyed as fireworks were fired into crowds of riot police.
Chair of Avon and Somerset Police Federation Andy Roebuck said: “This is the worst violence in Bristol for many, many years.
“It’s really unprecedented violence. Between four and six or possibly more officers are seriously injured and some have broken bones.
“No one had any indication it would erupt this way.”
Backup arrives and the flames go higher #killthebill #bristol pic.twitter.com/3efPAIODRx
— Alon Aviram (@AlAviram) March 21, 2021
Two police helicopters have been circling the city for some time. The incident is expected to continue into the early hours of Monday morning.
Home secretary Priti Patel labelled the scenes as “unacceptable”.
Adding: “Thuggery and disorder by a minority will never be tolerated.
“Our police officers put themselves in harms way to protect us all. My thoughts this evening are with those police officers injured.”
Riot police reinforcements. Pushing the crowd back. No damage to the Greek takeaway opposite as crowd focuses on police pic.twitter.com/OCRmpi8RJb
— Alon Aviram (@AlAviram) March 21, 2021
