Statue row protesters fight running battles with Black Lives Matter activists and cops as more than 100 arrested

STATUE-ROW protesters fought running battles with rival activists and charged at riot cops as more than 100 were arrested in London yesterday.

There were ugly scenes as groups of men tried to get to Black Lives Matter protesters throughout the day while police attempted to block them - before the two groups eventually clashed.

⚠️ Watch our YouTube live stream of the protests

Crowds of pro-statue campaigners earlier surrounded the monument of Winston Churchill, before peeling off to the Cenotaph - where they rushed up to the police blockade and pelted them with bottles and cans while chanting.  

Ugly scenes throughout the afternoon showed the group, made up of war veterans, football fans and far-right organisations including Britain First, massing in a clear breach of social-distancing guidelines.

Some were filmed attacking police officers in Westminster, with a group of yobs caught on camera aggressively targeting a group of peaceful Hyde Park picnickers and spitting at them.

Police tried to keep this group and BLM protesters apart, after anti-racism activists first met for a peaceful gathering in Hyde Park.

But as the day went on and the groups eventually came together at Trafalgar Square and Waterloo Station, there were a number of violent clashes between extreme elements.

As the protests continued past the 5pm curfew, cops were seen standing guard outside the station in full riot gear - while flares and smoke bombs were thrown between groups and scraps broke out.

BLM protesters were reportedly trying to get through police lines to take on the counter group - who had gathered earlier to defend London monuments before tussling with cops.

During the clashes outside the station a number of pro-statue protesters were left bloodied, with one injured man being carried back to police by a BLM member.

Six people were taken to hospital in the London scuffles, and 15 people treated by the London Ambulance Service - with six police officers injured.

As of 9pm there had been more than 100 arrests in London, 12 in Newcastle and two in Bristol.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted yesterday evening: "Racist thuggery has no place on our streets. Anyone attacking the police will be met with full force of the law.

"These marches & protests have been subverted by violence and breach current guidelines.

"Racism has no part in the UK and we must work together to make that a reality."

Multiple peaceful BLM protests were seen throughout London and the UK, with large groups gathering to stand and march in protest against racism.

Protesters also defended memorials peacfully across the country.

After thugs were filmed squaring up to police, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: "Any violence against our police is completely unacceptable. No ifs, no buts.

"Today's protests in London were led by those intent on causing violence and sowing hate for their own ends. We must not let them win."

Amid the violence, a white man thought to be with the group claiming its mission was to protect London statues was slammed for urinating on PC Keith Palmer's memorial.

MP Tobias Ellwood shared a photograph of the disgusting incident on Twitter today - and called for help to identify the culprit.

Many of those present were drinking, and there were a number of clashes with police in riot gear as crowds chanting "Tommy Robinson" and "England" while raising their arms surged towards lines of officers.

Outbursts of violence continued around the city after the 5pm deadline had passed, with the last few protesters removed from Parliament Square at around 6.45pm.

There were similar gatherings on Saturday in Belfast, Glasgow and Bristol with crowds, including far-right groups, massing around monuments, but these were largely peaceful.

Commander Bas Javid said yesterday evening: “Thousands have travelled to London despite being asked not to and some of those have been intent on causing harm.

“There have been pockets of violence directed towards our officers. This is completely unacceptable and I condemn those involved.

“From 5pm any protest must end. From this point those linked to these events may see us use a range of tactics to disperse those that remain which may include arrests.

“We will not tolerate the violence previously exhibited by some protestors. My message to those who remain in central London is go home.”

Home Secretary Priti Patel hit out at the "thugs", tweeting: "Thoroughly unacceptable thuggery.

"Any perpetrators of violence or vandalism should expect to face the full force of the law. Violence towards our police officers will not be tolerated."

She later told Sky News: "We have seen some shameful scenes today including the desecration of PC Keith Palmer’s memorial in Parliament, in Westminster Square.

"And quite frankly that is shameful, that is absolutely appalling and shameful."

Paul Golding, the leader of far-group group Britain First, was pictured in the crowd wearing a 'White Lives Matter' T shirt.

A "patriotic unity" event was organised by the Democratic Football Lads, who had come to protect statues from a Black Lives Matter protest that was later called off over safety fears.

Imarn Ayton, 29, a figurehead of the BLM movement who has given speeches alongside Star Wars actor John Boyega, has called for Churchill's statue to be removed but urged protesters to stay away today to avoid a "race war".

She said: "I think everyone is very worried about any type of race war that could occur because that takes away from what we're trying to achieve, which is abolishing institutional racism."

In Brighton, more than 1,000 protesters formed a line along the seafront in a Black Lives Matter demonstration.

Violent protesters had been warned they could be jailed within 24 hours after Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and Home Secretary Patel drew up plans based on the response to the 2011 London riots.

Several hundred people also gathered outside City Hall in Belfast in Northern Ireland to protect war memorials.

A group of ex-squaddies were also pictured outside the statue of Sir Robert Peel in Bury, while Black Lives Matter and counter protesters faced off in Newcastle and Bolton.

On Friday, statues in Parliament Square including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi were boarded up to prevent them being targeted by either side.

Last week, the statue of the UK's war-time prime minister memorial was defaced with the words "was a racist".

Former Conservative minister Sir Nicholas Soames condemned the "disgusting" defacing of his grandfather's statue.

Emma Soames said she was "shocked" to see her grandfather's statue boarded up.

She said it was "extraordinarily said that my grandfather, who was such a unifying figure in this country, appears to have become a sort of icon through being controversial."

On Friday, Mr Johnson blasted "absurd and shameful" protesters yesterday for threatening to vandalise Winston Churchill's statue again - and insisted our history cannot be erased.

Mr Johnson, who has written a book on Churchill, fiercely defended him - and called him a "hero" who saved Europe from tyranny.

A website called "topple the racists" has compiled a list of around 78 statues and other memorials across the UK it argues should be taken down, because they "celebrate slavery and racism".