Six police officers have been seriously injured after a ‘mob of animals’ turned on officers, smashing through the windows of a police station and setting police vehicles alight during a ‘Kill The Bill’ riot in Bristol.

Around 5,000 activists, claiming to protect the right to demonstrate peacefully, had gathered in the city centre on Sunday for the demonstration to oppose plans to give police more powers to deal with non-violent protests.

But footage captured the descent into anarchy as protesters clashed with police armed with batons and pepper spray.

Mounted officers were seen attempting to disperse a large crowd gathered outside Bridewell Police Station.

Later a group of hooded protesters tried to smash the windows of the glass-fronted police station and another mob set fire to a police van parked in nearby Bridewell Street.

Protesters managed to get up onto the roof of the first floor of the police station and rained down missiles on the police, who lined up to defend the entrance of the police station.

Three police vans were driven into the area, but one was damaged, had its tyres let down and then a fire was built underneath it, burning it out completely as darkness fell.

In other scenes, officers with police dogs were seen attempting to hold back large crowds as demonstrators scaled the walls of the police station and threw fireworks.

Other videos and pictures on social media showed dozens of officers in riot gear guarding the entrance to the station and protesters trying to roll a police van daubed with graffiti.

Andy Roebuck, chairman of the Avon and Somerset Police Federation, said: ‘Disgusting scenes in Bristol by a mob of animals who are injuring police officers, members of the public and damaging property.

‘Avon and Somerset Police Federation are attending stations to support officers. We have officers with suspected broken arms and ribs. This is so wrong.’

Chief Superintendent Will White of Avon and Somerset Police said: ‘What started out as a peaceful protest has been turned by a small minority into violent disorder.

‘Officers have been subjected to considerable levels of abuse and violence. One suffered a broken arm and another suffered broken ribs. Both have been taken to hospital. At least two police vehicles have been set on fire and damage has been caused to the outside of the station.’

He added: ‘We have requested mutual aid from neighbouring forces to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.’

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees condemned the violence which has marred a protest about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

‘Smashing buildings in our city centre, vandalising vehicles, attacking our police will do nothing to lessen the likelihood of the Bill going through,’ he said.

‘On the contrary, the lawlessness on show will be used as evidence and promote the need for the Bill.

‘This is a shameful day in an incredible year for Bristol.’

He added: ‘The violence and damage that have emerged from today’s protests are unacceptable and have nothing to do with the real work we are doing to tackle political, economic and social inequality.

‘I recognise the frustrations with the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

‘I have major concerns about the Bill myself, which is poorly thought-out and could impose disproportionate controls on free expression and the right to peaceful protest.

‘It also misses as much as it includes, such as measures that could reduce violence against women and girls. We will raise our concerns.

‘Our police, city representatives and I have been able to point out with pride that we have faced these moments of conflict without the physical conflict that others have experienced.

‘Those who decided to turn today’s protest into a physical confrontation and smash our city have robbed us of this.

‘What they have done has more to do with self-gratification than it has to do with the protection and advancement of those of us from communities most likely to be marginalised and mistreated by our political and legal systems.’

Thangam Debbonaire, Labour MP for Bristol West and shadow secretary of state for housing, said: ‘This is absolutely unacceptable.

‘The scenes of violence and direct attack on the police in Bristol city centre will distress most people including anyone who believes in defending the right to peaceful democratic protest.’

John Apter, national chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: ‘This is not about protecting the right to protest, it’s violent criminality from a hardcore minority who will hijack any situation for their own aims.

‘My colleagues, some of whom are now in hospital, face the brunt of that hatred. Thoughts remain with my colleagues.’

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police tweeted: ‘Officers have had projectiles thrown at them, including a firework, and have been verbally abused. This is unacceptable behaviour and those responsible for offences will be identified and brought to justice.’

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, introduced to the Commons this month, would give officers in England and Wales more power to impose conditions on non-violent protests, including those deemed too noisy or a nuisance.

Those convicted under the proposed legislation could face a fine or jail. The Bristol protesters were carrying signs reading ‘say no to UK police state’ and ‘freedom to protest is fundamental’.

Police had advised people not to attend the protest due to coronavirus legislation, which bans mass gatherings.

Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted Sunday evening: ‘Unacceptable scenes in Bristol tonight. Thuggery and disorder by a minority will never be tolerated.

‘My thoughts this evening are with those police officers injured.’     

The demonstration, which begun on College Green, turned violent after protesters set a police van alight and threw fireworks and ‘projectiles’ towards officers.

Police donned riot gear and brought in dogs and horses to control the growing crowds as tensions rose into the evening.

The ‘mob’ then gathered around Bridewell Police Station where protesters were filmed smashing through the building’s windows with a baton and rocks. Police were seen protecting the station from the inside whilst filming perpetrators.

Those convicted under the proposed legislation could face a fine or jail. Mass gatherings are currently banned under coronavirus legislation and anyone breaching the regulations could be fined.

Protesters carried placards with slogans such as ‘The Day Democracy Became Dictatorship’ and ‘We Can’t Be Silenced That Easy’.

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police tweeted: ‘Officers have had projectiles thrown at them, including a firework, and have been verbally abused. This is unacceptable behaviour and those responsible for offences will be identified and brought to justice.’

Avon and Somerset Police had urged people not to attend the demonstration – warning that enforcement action could be taken.

The government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill, currently going through parliament, would give police new powers to impose time and noise limits on street protests.

That has angered activists, particularly since a heavy-handed police response to a London vigil for murder victim Sarah Everard on March 13 caused widespread outrage and criticism of the police.

The government bill pre-dated the Everard case and covers a wide range of policy areas as well as the policing of protests. However, the two became connected in many people’s minds because, by coincidence, the bill was up for debate in parliament two days after the London vigil.

Footage taken in Bristol city centre showed the moment protesters almost overturned a police van they had defaced with graffiti, before officers in riot gear pushed them back with batons.

Earlier today a spokesman for the force said: ‘Officers are engaging with a number of people who’ve turned up at the protest. We’d like to thank those who’ve agreed to leave for their understanding of why it’s still important to follow Covid-19 restrictions and protect all our communities from this virus.’

A separate event for Reclaim the Streets – who are protesting violence against women in the wake of Sarah Everard’s death in London – took place in Newcastle.

Pictures show a large group gathering and a female protester being pinned to the ground by four police officers.

She was told to move and when she refused, police responded by taking her to the floor, where she was handcuffed before being put in a van.

In a video shot at the scene close to Grey’s Monument in the city, the woman is visibly distressed and screaming as she is bundled into the back of the police vehicle.

It is understood the woman was standing on her own when she was approached by the police more than an hour before it was set to start.

It also comes after dozens of people were arrested last night as police attempted to halt thousands of anti-lockdown protesters marching through the centre of London.

The protests come after Home Secretary Priti Patel defended the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill in Parliament earlier this week.

The bill will see new powers given to the police and Home Secretary to deal with protests that are deemed to have caused ‘serious unease, alarm or distress’.

It will also raise the maximum sentence for defacing statues to 10 years, while new measures are also expected to crack down on knife crime.

The bill has garnered controversy, particularly after Met Police officers were seen restraining women attending a vigil in memory of Sarah Everard in Clapham Common last month.

The bill will mean that home secretaries will be able to create laws to define what ‘serious disruption,’ to communities and organisations means.

Speaking at the debate, on Monday night Ms Patel said peaceful protest was a ‘cornerstone of democracy,’ before adding: ‘The current legislation police use to manage protests, the Public Order Act 1986, was enacted over 30 years ago.

‘In recent years we’ve seen significant change in protest tactics, with protesters exploiting gaps in the law which have led to disproportionate amounts of disruption.

Ms Patel said: ‘Last year we saw XR (Extinction Rebellion) block the passage of an ambulance on emergency calls, gluing themselves to trains during rush hour, blocking airport runways, preventing hundreds of hard-working people from going to work.’

Ms May added: ‘It’s tempting with the Home Secretary to think that giving powers to the Home Secretary is very reasonable because we all think we’re reasonable, but actually future home secretaries may not be so reasonable and I wonder if the Government would be willing to publish a draft of those regulations during passage of the Bill so we can actually see what that is going to be and make sure that it is not also encroaching on the operational decisions of the police.

‘So there are very important elements of this Bill, but I would urge the Government to consider carefully the need to walk a fine line between being popular and populist. Our freedoms depend on it.’

The bill passed its second reading earlier this week, despite Labour voting against it.

MPs voted 359 to 263, a majority of 96, at second reading, the first significant Commons test of a bill.

As the bill was voted through, protesters had gathered outside the Palace of Westminster to rally against both the legislation and also the police.

But it has been reported by Cambridgeshire Live that it has since been delayed.

According to the Labour MP Victims and Youth Justice Shadow Minister Peter Kyle, the bill committee has been ‘pulled’ and ‘won’t start until later in the year’.

The draft legislation includes an offence of ‘intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance’, and someone will be judged to have committed this crime if they cause ‘serious harm to the public’, which can include ‘serious annoyance, serious inconvenience or serious loss of amenity’, with those convicted potentially facing a fine or jail.

The ‘serious annoyance’ element of the criteria has prompted a furious backlash from critics who warn the laws could pose a threat to free speech rights and the right to protest.

Labour voted against the bill, and shortly after the vote Sir Keir Starmer railed against it in a Twitter video, branding the Government’s priorities ‘completely wrong’.

He said: ‘The Conservatives have just voted for legislation to increase prison sentences for those damaging statues. But does nothing to address violence towards women and girls.’

A spokesperson for the Home Office told MailOnline that people should not currently be protesting due to lockdown laws. Blanket restrictions on protesting are due to be lifted later this month.

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