Attacks on police ‘completely unacceptable’
Attacks on police officers sent to break up illegal parties are “utterly unacceptable”, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Commissioner has said.
Dame Cressida Dick said the force has a “duty” to close down unlawful music events during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Her comments come after officers came under attack for a second night as they tried to disperse crowds at London street parties.
The MPS said officers sent to break up a street party in Notting Hill, West London, were pelted with objects on Thursday night (June 25).
Dame Cressida said police were on the lookout for illegal parties after violent scenes in Brixton on Wednesday evening left 22 officers injured.
She said police “closed down several before they even got going”, but condemned violence in Colville Gardens, Notting Hill, as “completely, utterly unacceptable”.
“These events are unlawful. They shouldn’t be happening and we have a duty to go and close them down and to disperse them,” said Dame Cressida.
“The local communities hate them, [it is] incredibly anti-social behaviour, very noisy during a pandemic and sometimes [there is] violence.
“For our officers who are simply doing their duty to be attacked is utterly unacceptable.”