On 3 June 2020, Black Lives Matters protesters violently attacked police on Whitehall, London, after a day of hurling abuse at law enforcement officers, who appear to have acted with restraint throughout.

Earlier, the protesters gathered at the Cenotaph, Britain’s national war memorial, which is located on Whitehall, a street leading to Downing Street, and the heart of government in the UK. After incidents which saw a flag torn off and a protest launched around the Cenotaph, the protesters were moved off the memorial, with police establishing a cordon around it. For context, the Cenotaph commemorates among others, those British soldiers who paid the ultimate price fighting against fascists in the Second World War.

The worst attack on police took place close to the intersection with Downing Street, when a protester breached the cordon around the Prime Minister’s residence, and was briefly apprehended. BLM protesters quickly started mobbing the police, hitting them with signs, and throwing objects at them. Reinforcements were brought in from within the Downing Street protected zone.

Throughout the day, protesters had behaved reprehensibly towards police yelling in their faces and demanding acts of submission. Under the circumstances, the Metropolitan Police showed considerable restraint, on occasion engaging in tactical retreats, on others, kettling protesters to extract those engaged in acts of violence.

Although the police presence in London was heavy enough, police around the entrance to 10 Downing Street at times looked badly outnumbered, and had little in the way of riot gear to protect them.

According to the Daily Mail, the Metropolitan Police made at least 13 arrests in connection with the unrest.

Footage

The most notable incident took place right at the entrance of Downing Street on Whitehall, where many of the UK’s important government buildings are located.

Today’s #BlackLivesMatter protest in #London has now officially been turned into a riot. Anyone surprised? This has become a transatlantic Riot-And-Looting-Movement. Send in the military! pic.twitter.com/9EBNjOBtC6

— BasedPoland (@BasedPoland) June 3, 2020

#BlackLivesMatter protesters fighting the British police today in London pic.twitter.com/Yf675QGzwq

— BasedPoland (@BasedPoland) June 4, 2020

pic.twitter.com/peNwxmaHST

— Nathan (@NM_N4THS) June 3, 2020

Later, as night fell, protesters appeared to have been able to attack the entrance to Downing Street with relative impunity, tossing barriers in the direction of the Prime Minister’s residence.

BREAKING – London Protests: Protesters throw bottles, signs inside gates of Downing Street – Riot police have now arrived pic.twitter.com/QHJ3pZBZBl

— Eddie Donovan (@EddieDonovan) June 3, 2020

Police at times were outnumbered by hooligans and thugs, many of them masked and yelling profanities.

Rioters chase police officers and knockout one of them at the #BlackLivesMatter protest earlier today in #London #England pic.twitter.com/N7ZRPUopNt

— BasedPoland (@BasedPoland) June 4, 2020

Australian Journalist Assaulted

Ben Avery, the Europe Correspondent for Australia’s Channel Nine and his camera crew were assaulted by rioters while reporting live on air.

A bus driver who refused to submit to protesters’ demand that he beep the horn of his bus in support of BLM had his bus mobbed by protesters.

Media Coverage

For some strange reason, a riot in the heart of Central London, and the daylong assaults on and abuse of British police officers, is not considered newsworthy by the BBC.

Here, for purpose of criticism, is a screenshot of their main UK news homepage from the morning of 4 June 2020.

Neither have London Mayor, Sadiq Kahn nor the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick been vocal in thanking London police for their service, or condemning those that attacked them.