Assaults on police officers rise by 37pc

LONDON: Britain’s biggest police force has seen assaults on officers rise by 37 per cent in the past three months, figures show. The Metropolitan Police said 2,027 assaults were recorded between May and July, compared with 1,475 in the same months in 2019.

Bosses believe the rise has been fuelled by scuffles during protests and operations to shut down unlicensed music events, as well as coughing and spitting attacks linked to Covid-19.

Data shows that in the 12 months from August 2019, 6,668 officers were attacked – a 16 per cent rise on the previous year – 42 per cent of whom were injured.

The Met has also seen a rise in the monthly number of assaults. Between June 2019 and April 2020, the average per month was 510, but there were 676 in May this, 717 in June and 634 in July.

The latest assault saw an officer thrown against a wall and knocked out as he tried to make an arrest in Hackney, north-east London. A man was throwing glasses and hurling abuse in a pub on Mare Street shortly before 5pm on Tuesday, and shoved the officer into a wall. He was taken to hospital for treatment of a cut to his head. A 46-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion on criminal damage and assaulting a police officer.

Chief Inspector Dave Brewster, who leads the Met’s Operation Hampshire which focuses on officer assaults, said: “It is clear that assaults on police officers and staff are increasing year on year and the impact this has on our profession cannot and should not be underestimated. Assaults should never be seen as ‘part of the job’ and officers should be able to go about their work without fear of abuse or attack.”