Mounted Police Charge Anti-Racist Demonstrators At Black Lives Matter Protest
Violence broke out as mounted police officers charged at a crowd of protesters at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in central London.
After a day of largely peaceful protests in cities across the country, tensions began to flare as crowds gathered outside Downing Street.
Videos circulating on social media show mounted officers driving back demonstrators along Whitehall, while protesters were filmed throwing plastic and glass bottles towards police.
Police in Whitehall charge Black Lives Matter protesters as they throw bottles at police horses. pic.twitter.com/lsidWFC2md
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) June 6, 2020
Officers in helmets and holding shields had formed two lines outside of Downing Street, separating the crowd.
Police then tried to force demonstrators further down Whitehall. Some protesters linked arms and turned their backs to stop themselves from being moved on, urging each other to “stand your ground”.
An officer was knocked from her horse after riding into a traffic light, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. She is currently in hospital receiving treatment for her injuries.
Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said the officer had “quite nasty” injuries, telling BBC Breakfast on Sunday morning: “She’s stable – she has some quite nasty injuries which she sustained. And the horse is fine.”
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said on Sunday morning that assaults on police officers were “shocking and completely unacceptable”, adding that 14 police officers had been injured.
UPDATE | The officer is currently in hospital, receiving treatment for her injuries which are not life threatening.
The officer fell from her horse, and we are examining the full circumstances of what took place.— MPS Events (@MetPoliceEvents) June 6, 2020
Home secretary Priti Patel said violence towards police at protests was “completely unacceptable” and gave officers her “full support in tackling disorderly behaviour”.
