TUC March Saturday 26 March 2011: chair of the MPA responds

30 March 2011

MPA Statement:

Kit Malthouse, chair of the MPA, said:

I fully endorse the way the Met policed the TUC march and condemn those intent on committing mindless violence in central London on Saturday 26 March.

A huge amount of work was carried out by the Met to prepare for the massive march and the criticisms of alleged intelligence failings by the Met are unfair.

The streets of London saw two very distinct protests on Saturday afternoon. The TUC March for the Alternative was one of the largest marches seen in recent times and was peaceful and good humoured. But the separate attacks by so called ‘anarchist’ groups were nothing to do with demonstrating and everything to do with pure wicked violence.

Police have a difficult balance to strike to maintain the democratic right of people to demonstrate peacefully, whilst at the same time dealing with groups intent on committing crime and causing havoc.

In central London people were put in danger, officers came under attack, fires were set and business properties damaged. These are criminal acts.

A total of 201 arrests were made and officers are now working closely with the CPS on the post-event investigation. All video footage and evidence available is being used to identify others breaking the law, with the aim of arresting these perpetrators.

We also need to learn lessons from this to inform future plans for demonstrations.

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