Officer stabbed and four others injured when water fight in Hyde Park descends into riot as youths chanting 'Black Lives Matter' turn on police who tried to stop them from setting up a sound system
♢ Hundreds of youths descended on Hyde Park to make the most of the scorching summer temperatures
♢ They started congregating for what has been described as a spontaneous water fight but tensions soon mounted
♢ Police tried to disperse crowds but scenes then turned violent with one officer stabbed and four others injured
♢ Two revellers also stabbed during chaos and are both - like the constables - in hospital receiving treatment
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A police officer was stabbed and four other PCs were injured after a water fight in central London spiralled out of control in the city's worst bout of violence since the 2011 riots.*
At least three members of the public were also injured last night, with reports indicating at least one was stabbed in the chest, as police*tried to disperse a huge water fight in Hyde Park during which rioters chanted 'Black Lives Matter'.*
Police say around 2,000 revellers descended on the central London park to soak up the sun yesterday on what was hottest day of the year so far.
Now, the Metropolitan Police has announced it has launched an investigation into the disorder which was apparently sparked after officers prevented members of the crowd from setting up a sound system.*
Shortly after 3pm yesterday afternoon hundreds of teenagers are believed to have gathered for an impromptu water fight.
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The numbers continued to swell throughout the day and into the evening. But when police eventually tried to disperse the crowd shortly before 9pm, they were met with a 'hostile' reception.*
Objects began to be hurled their direction and one officer was struck with what is believed to be a glass bottle and had to be taken to hospital for treatment.
More violent scenes then erupted - with another constable being stabbed and two members of the public also suffering knife wounds as crowds chanted 'Black Lives Matter’.
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The police officers are both described as having 'non life-threatening injuries'.*
There has been no update available on the condition of the two others who were also stabbed.
Commander BJ Harrington, speaking about the policing operation last night, said:*'Our officers took action to step in and protect the public and themselves after the crowd attempted to set up a sound system.*
'Concerned for the potential safety implications officers stepped in to negotiate with them. At that stage our officers came under attack, resulting in one suffering stab wounds and another who suffered a head injury. In total five officers were injured.
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’Officers were mobilised as part of a graduated response to encourage the crowds to leave the park. Part of that involved using the powers available to us under the Public Order Act and the Anti-social Behaviour and Crime Act, and that's when we deployed in riot gear. The action taken was based on serious concerns for the public and our officers. At least three members of the public were injured in the park.
'We are now running a post event investigation - I know that there is a lot of footage available, including helicopter footage and CCTV. If you have any footage that may help, or any information, then please get in touch with us.
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Meanwhile, a squad of elite police officers was pelted with missiles as they moved hundreds of revellers from an illegal block party in north London.
Footage appeared to show scores of people running from the scene as officers from the Metropolitan Police's Territorial Support Group interrupted the unlicensed event and confiscated the sound system.
Some officers suffered minor injuries as the crowd threw bottles and other items. Scotland Yard said some police vehicles were also damaged.
A motive at Hyde Park is always a mess to avoid. not a water fight turning into this mess!
But yeah, I do not approve of this at all. I'm so disappointed. This isn't a good look for BLM but then again it doesn't give the right for people to put down BLM just because of a few sick individuals who think it's okay to stab an innocent officer
A motive at Hyde Park is always a mess to avoid. not a water fight turning into this mess!
But yeah, I do not approve of this at all. I'm so disappointed. This isn't a good look for BLM but then again it doesn't give the right for people to put down BLM just because of a few sick individuals who think it's okay to stab an innocent officer
what i was thinking aswell, for those who want, this can lead ppl to think that BLM are just a bunch of cop-hating thugs, and the article may want it to look like that, but messy situations with lots of ppl building up adrenaline can easily result in violence. good thing the cop dont seem to be badly injured and i hope some BLM spokesman speaks out against this. stuff like this and def the police murders are def not helping the cause
what i was thinking aswell, for those who want, this can lead ppl to think that BLM are just a bunch of cop-hating thugs, and the article may want it to look like that, but messy situations with lots of ppl building up adrenaline can easily result in violence. good thing the cop dont seem to be badly injured and i hope some BLM spokesman speaks out against this. stuff like this and def the police murders are def not helping the cause
Yes, the article is definitely problematic. I agree with you
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Originally posted by Buyonce1814
I read on Twitter that they were just trying to set up a bashment party until the police came and said no?
I heard it was a bashment party too.
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Originally posted by Artemisia
Interesting that the BBC, The Telegraph, and The Guardian don't report this as a BLM incident but rather a water fight that turned violent
not a water fight turning into this mess!
Literally how dumb can people get. This just discredits any form of reasonable protest that was happening
