Two charged after police injured in Tesco riot - Telegraph.co.uk

Mr Carroll and the teenager will appear at Bristol Magistrates Court.

The charges come after disturbances broke out early on Friday morning, just six days after a riot in the same area of Bristol.

Crowds initially gathered peacefully on Thursday evening to protest against a new Tesco Express that had opened in area. A week ago, the store was damaged during an earlier protest.

The demonstration on Thursday started as a "good-spirited" event, but the crowd quickly grew from around 250 to more than 400 people.

Eyewitnesses said the violence began at around 1am when police officers moved in to "contain a group of protesters" who were wearing masks and throwing bottles.

Skirmishes with police spilled out from the Stokes Croft area towards the Cabot Circus shopping centre as rioters broke down walls and removed roof tiles to use as missiles.

They also lit fires, set up barricades in the road and daubed graffiti throughout the area.

Avon and Somerset Police said several officers suffered head, neck, back and leg injuries, and required hospital treatment after being pelted with bottles, rocks and other missiles.

Officers from several forces provided support to Avon and Somerset force.

Assistant chief constable Rod Hansen said: "We will always respect the right of any individual or group to take part in a peaceful protest, and events earlier in the evening were, indeed, good natured.

"But when disorder occurs, we have a duty to the wider community to do everything we can to calm the situation and restore order."

He said police had started studying CCTV footage and were determined to identify those involved in the disorder.

But tactics used by police were condemned by protesters.

Richard Ayres, 39, told the BBC: "I received three blows to my legs and a blow to my head for which I have received hospital treatment."

He said he joined the protest to "show solidarity to those who had been treated violently" during the previous protests.

Mr Ayres claimed mounted police officers "rushed down the middle of the street" after Cheltenham Road was closed at about midnight.

"We were knocked to the side by them and were then shoved back by riot police with helmets, shields, truncheons and dogs," he said.

"I remonstrated with them peacefully, flabbergasted at the sudden turn of events."

On Friday morning police raided a property near to the Tesco store in an operation to evict squatters.

A force spokesman said police believed there was a direct connection between the property – known as Telepathic Heights – and the disorder.

Officers, working with Bristol City Council, made their way to the roof and 10 people were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

A spokesman for Tesco condemned the trouble and insisted the majority of people in the community supported the new store.

A spokesman said: "It is very sad that a number of individuals have once again turned against the police and the local community."

Assistant Chief Constable Anthony Bangham said: "My message to all of you is simple. If you were involved in this disorder in any way – and there were more than 400 people who were there – then when we identify you, we will arrest you.

"It doesn't matter if you are captured on camera at the front throwing rocks, or if you were standing behind somebody else doing this, encouraging and inciting them to commit action.

"As far as we are concerned, if you were encouraging violent behaviour, then you are just as involved in the disorder as those throwing the missiles."

He added that such coordinated violence "will not be tolerated in Bristol".

Rick Palmer, service director at Bristol City Council, said the city had seen "totally unacceptable behaviour which is clearly not supported by local people".

Last week's skirmishes happened after about 160 officers in riot gear swooped on a house to arrest four people they said were "a real threat to the local community".