Statue row protesters clash with police at Black Lives Matter protest in Leeds as missiles thrown at cops in Glasgow
FAR-RIGHT groups clashed with police at a Black Lives Matter protest in Leeds today after missiles were thrown at officers in Glasgow for a second day running.
Recent days have seen demonstrators gather in cities across the UK saying they want to protect statues and memorials from being defaced by anti-racism protesters.
But many of the events have ended in violent confrontations between the protesters and police.
In Leeds, around 400 protesters described as 'football hooligans' by local media gathered in the city's Millennium Square.
Officers in the city reportedly described the atmosphere as “hostile.”
Pictures showed around 2,000 peaceful Black Lives Matter activists also gathering in light of the death of George Floyd - a black man who died while being arrested in Minneapolis last month.
The gatherings occurred half a mile apart and were kept separate by police, but a group from the Millennium Square protest reportedly charged a number of Black Lives Matter demonstrators as they were leaving the rally.
One man was seen being lead away in handcuffs as mounted police officers were deployed to the scene to prevent further violence.
Officers kept the grounds apart, but skirmishes took place between counter-protestors and police as missiles were thrown between the groups.
NATIONWIDE UNREST
In Glasgow, a crowd gathered to protect the Cenotaph war memorial in the Scottish city after its equivalent in the UK capital was targeted by Black Lives Matter followers.
Protesters reportedly want to see the removal of a statue of Robert Peel, a former British Prime Minister who actually stood against slavery.
Parts of the town centre were blocked off and cops were seen kitted out in safety gear with batons.
Officers formed a line to separate clashes between groups calling for the removal of the Peel statue and counter protesters.
Missiles were seen flying between the two groups after counter protesters had charged towards the anti-Peel statue group being escorted down the street.
Chief Superintendent Alan Murray said: "Police Scotland can confirm that officers were aware of a disturbance near George Square, Glasgow today.
"At this time the incident does not appear to be connected to a Black Lives Matter protest."
Unrest in the capital yesterday also saw counter-demonstrators clashing with police, with 113 people arrested and 23 police officers reportedly injured.
The arrests were made for a range of offences including breach of the peace, violent disorder, assault on officers, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of class A drugs.
Met Police say a 28-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency after he was pictured urinating on the memorial of hero cop PC Keith Palmer - who was killed in the 2017 Westminster terror attack.
It comes after a monument to slaver Edward Colston was thrown into a river by Black Lives Matter protesters in Bristol last Sunday.
A William of Orange monument in Glasgow was after being sprayed with an anti-police slogan.
The Battle of Bannockburn site near Stirling was also vandalised with graffiti calling Robert the Bruce a "racist".