RALLY RAGE
‘Kill the Bill’ protest: Cops clash with activists in Bristol AGAIN just 2 days after officers attacked in riot rampage
RIOT cops clashed with "Kill the Bill" protesters in Bristol for a second time in three days.
Baton-wielding officers broke up hundreds of people and arrested 14 activists who gathered in the city last night.
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Violence erupted just 48 hours after 21 officers were injured as a "mob of animals" smashed up a police station and torched cop vans.
One officer suffer a punctured lung and broken ribs while another was left with a broken arm.
Tensions boiled over about 10pm last night when Avon and Somerset Police stormed a crowd of around 200 activists who had set up camp in College Green.
Shocking footage shows a riot cop grabbing a protester while a pal appears to rip out his dreadlocks as he battles to wrestle him back.
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Fourteen people were arrested during the clashes in the latest "Kill the Bill" protest against Government plans to give police new powers to tackle demonstrations.
Cops slammed activists for gathering on the anniversary of the first Covid lockdown.
A force spokesman tweeted: "It's disappointing we needed to take this action on a day we remember those who've lost their lives."
Witnesses said a group of around 200 people had been singing and playing music since around 4pm.
One protestor told The Sun that cops were "heavy-handed" and that the demonstrations were peaceful.
They said: “They came in from out of nowhere we were just sitting together singing and making peace signs and they bombarded us.
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“It’s outrageous, they were heavy-handed.
"One girl was thrown in the air by the officers, you would have thought after what happened the other night they would have learnt their lesson.
“We just wanted a peaceful protest tonight and this is out of order. We weren’t causing any trouble.”
This comes after a man appeared in court charged with carrying a homemade spear on Sunday's Kill the Bill protests in Bristol.
The 28-year-old yesterday denied the possession of the offensive weapon - and will appear before court in June.
Around half of the group last night fled as the cops reportedly came down hard on those on the green, while others sat in protest.
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Officers took away tents and signs as the group had planned to camp out overnight.
One witness tweeted that he saw more than ten cop vans near the scene and could hear police dogs snarling and barking.
Riot officers wearing helmets, shields and holding batons have been filmed trying to disperse the crowd.
Police said they broke up the protest because of the Covid lockdown.
The force tweeted: "Specially trained public order officers are beginning to disperse a protest from College Green in #Bristol.
"Officers had engaged with protestors & asked them to move on but tents & a sound system were set up.
"We remain in lockdown and we cannot allow this gathering to continue."
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Chief Superintendent Claire Armes earlier said that "all necessary and proportionate enforcement action will be taken".
A YouTube livestream from the demonstration showed large numbers of police with some officers on horseback.
Shouts of "Our streets" and "Shame on You" could be heard.
Meanwhile, police investigating a riot that marred the 'Kill the Bill' protest on Sunday have released images of 10 people they wish to trace.
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The mayhem erupted after people took to the streets to protest against the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which would give cops more power to crackdown on non-violent protests.
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Authorities released the 10 images of suspects they wished to trace in connection with the riot on Sunday.
Seven men, aged between 20 and 44, were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and have all been released under investigation.
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