Boris Johnson has said violence towards police during another protest in Bristol was “disgraceful” – and officers say they are concerned more disorder could follow.
While Johnson – and Priti Patel, the home secretary – have blamed the violent scenes in Bristol on “a mob intent on violence”, reports from demonstrators and journalists on the ground suggest that the police were, at best, heavy-handed and, at worst, violent, towards protestors.
Daily Mirror journalist Matthew Dresch shared video footage of police apparently hitting him with a baton, even as he shouted that he was a member of the press – while other citizen journalists, including reporters from the Bristol Cable, reported being on the receiving end of police aggression.
“Police assaulted me at the Bristol protest even though I told them I was from the press. I was respectfully observing what was happening and posed no threat to any of the officers,” Dresch said.
In footage circulating online, police can be seen battering a protestor with riot shields – while another shocking video appears to show a police officer punching a female protestor in the face.
We’ve collated some of the footage circulating on social media, which you can see here.
Police assaulted me at the Bristol protest even though I told them I was from the press. I was respectfully observing what was happening and posed no threat to any of the officers. I have muted the latter part of the video to spare you all the pain of hearing my shrill voice. pic.twitter.com/a7a0Nnw0bG
— Matthew Dresch (@MatthewDresch) March 27, 2021
Latest: UK authorities tonight in Bristol, England set dogs on demonstrators protesting new legislation that could ban any future street protests in Britain.#coronavirus pic.twitter.com/WgJW5Vg7Gx
— Afshin Rattansi (@afshinrattansi) March 26, 2021
Watch this police officer arrest an independent reporter for “violent disorder”. pic.twitter.com/xbRRvlwbbs
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) March 27, 2021
Cops in a Bristol now chopping at protesters on the floor with their riot shields . Disgrace. #bristol #BristolProtest #killthebill pic.twitter.com/q2OIWqr1HB
— PodcastMedia (@PodcastMedia69) March 26, 2021
A protestor is lying on the ground, covering their head with their arm.
— James McAsh (@mcash) March 27, 2021
A police officer tries to pull them to their feet. They fall to the ground again so the officer starts to beat them with a baton.
How is this acceptable? pic.twitter.com/7lwQUnSVWB
TW: Violence
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) March 27, 2021
An officer in Bristol either punches or hits a baton across the face of a woman.
One person there told me it was the most brutal they’d ever seen the police. If politicians, media & civil society can’t reject this we have major problems. pic.twitter.com/9mK7vcsZ3g
Related: Boris Johnson says ‘Kill the Bill’ protests in Bristol are ‘disgraceful’
Since you are here
Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.
Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.
Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.
If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.
To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.
The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.
The shop can be found here.
You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .
