brixton riot
© Snapchat / claire_419er / Sweetcheeks
An impromptu block party in Brixton, South London, descended into anarchy, after police called to the scene were assaulted and chased away. Twenty-two officers were injured in the resulting mayhem.

Cops were pelted with bottles and other projectiles on arrival at the scene near the Angell Town housing project in Brixton.

Footage posted to social media shows a large column of law enforcement officers facing off with the crowd as they attempt to pull back.

In one video, a shirtless man can be seen standing on top of a police car as he smashes the vehicle's windshield with a broken-off table leg. A police van was also chased and attacked by the mob.



The Metropolitan Police Service said it had been called to the area due to noise and public safety complaints, but that the crowd had refused to cooperate. Elements eventually became "hostile" towards officers, it explained.


Four arrests were made before the police were forced to withdraw to safety. The unlawful gathering was eventually dispersed in the early hours of Thursday morning. Chief Superintendent Colin Wingrove branded the violence "totally unacceptable," and said it would not be tolerated. Home Secretary Priti Patel also condemned the "utterly vile scenes" that occurred during the fracas.


The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, expressed similar sentiments, and added that the large gathering posed a health risk as the city tries to contain the spread of coronavirus.


Comment: Parts of London are becoming even more lawless and Mayor Khan's concern is the flu? Note that residents called to complain about the noise, the police had to retreat and were unable to bring about peace until much later.


Brixton has been the scene of a number of violent incidents over the years, including shootings and stabbings, and saw extensive rioting against what was widely perceived as racist policing, in the 80's, 90's and, most recently, in 2011.


Result of pandering to BLM? Farage blames Brixton riot on media and politicians 'encouraging an anti-police organization'

brixton riot
© REUTERS/Yara Nardi, Snapchat / claire_419erNigel Farage (right) has weighed in on the chaotic scenes in Brixton on Wednesday night (left).
The mayhem that unfolded in London's Brixton area on Wednesday night was the result of the media and politicians encouraging an "anti-police organization," according to Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.

"Serious rioting in Brixton last night, which this morning received hardly any media coverage. It seems that mob rule is being encouraged and not condemned," Farage wrote on Twitter.

"Now hearing 40 officers injured. The media, police bosses and top politicians have given encouragement to an anti-police organisation with these appalling results," he added.

Farage appears to have been alluding to media coverage of and political reaction to the Black Lives Matter protests that have popped up in the UK and across the world in the wake of the death of George Floyd at the hands of US police last month.

The Brexit Party leader has been an outspoken critic of the demonstrations, branding Black Lives Matter a "Marxist organization" and saying that the protesters are akin to the Taliban.

Scotland Yard said that 22 police officers were injured during the riot in Brixton. Two of them required hospitalization. Farage's figure of 40 injuries has not yet been confirmed.