In pictures: Bristol’s Kill The Bill protest turns into a riot

The initially peaceful protest escalated outside Bridewell police station leaving 20 officers injured


After thousands attended a largely peaceful protest on College Green in opposition to the new Police and Crime Bill, violence erupted as protestors launched attacks on police property, including setting police vehicles alight and graffitiing over Bridewell police station.

Protestors could still be heard chanting “Kill The Bill” and “Who’s streets? Our streets!” as the violence continued into the night.

The new Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is set to give the police far greater powers to respond to protests, including the ability to stop protests due to noise levels and disruption to the public.

Here’s how the evening unfolded in pictures:

Multiple police vehicles were set ablaze in Bristol city centre. Photo: Billy Husband

Police deployed mounted officers and dog units, as seven people were arrested and 20 police officers injured.

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees slammed those violent protesters calling them “politically illiterate.”

He said: “What they’ve done will be used as evidence for those people who support the bill that they claim to be fighting against.

“We are outraged as a city, it’s not who we are, we’ll stand together and make that statement and reclaim our story from those who have tried to hijack it.”

Police were eventually able to disperse protesters outside Bridewell police station after midnight.

Images via @billhusphotography and SWNS

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