38 POLICE officers have been injured in “utterly indefensible hooliganism” over the weekend, Priti Patel blasted this evening.
Police officers were abused by “far right” and “racist” counter protesters claiming to be protecting “British values” after the statue of Winston Churchill was boxed up to prevent it being defaced.
The Home Secretary said this evening: “Those thugs, far from protecting (British heritage) did all they could to destroy and undermine those values (of tolerance and respect)
“There is no place for their sickening conduct, they were violent, aggressive and abusive towards police officers and patently racist.”
Ms Patel said as many as 2000 “far right thugs” sparked “ugly scenes” in demonstrations against the Black Lives Matter movement.
She said they were characterised by “eruptions of violence and racism”.
Ms Patel said the hooligans kicked, punched and threw glass bottles and smoke bombs at police – and 38 were injured.
100 officers, three horses and a police dog have been injured in the UK since protests erupted after the death of George Floyd.
In total over 210,000 people have attended protests since then.
But Ms Patel said the large majority of Black Lives Matter demonstrations were carried out “peacefully” over the weekend.
This weekend’s counter-protests were sparked by BLM protestors tearing down a statue of slave trade Edward Colston in Bristol last week.
The statue of Winston Churchill was boxed up after a furious row over memorials to “racist” historical figures broke out, and there were fears anti-racism activists could deface the statue or attempt to take it down.
But Black Lives Matter organisers cancelled their protesters after the thugs announced their intention to “protect” the statue.
More than 138 offences were committed by the people who turned up to the rally.
The criminal offences ranged from assaults on police officers, violent disorder, breaches of the pease and possession of weapons and class A drugs.
The Home Secretary added: “This hooliganism is utterly indefensible.”
The most “abhorrent” act by one of the people at the demonstration was by Andrew Banks, who urinated next to a plaque commemorating the death of PC Keith Palmer, who died in the terror attack at the gates of Parliament in 2017.
Banks pleaded guilty to outraging public decency and cried as he was sentenced to 14 days in prison today.
His dad David told HOAR he was a “stupid plonker” and “devastated” by his actions.
Ms Patel said: “Keith Palm served our country in so many ways, he made the ultimate sacrifice during a terror attack in the heart of our democracy.
“He will never be forgotten.”
She vowed not to allow Britain’s police officers become “punching bags”.
