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29th Jul 2017

Fireworks and bottles thrown at riot police at East London death protest

Mattresses and bins were set alight and local shop windows were smashed

Si Lloyd

Fireworks and bottles were thrown at police in east London on Friday night during a protest over the death of Rashan Charles.

The Metropolitan Police said the 20-year-old had been chased on foot after officers had attempted to stop a car in Kingsland Road, Hackney during the early hours of last Saturday (22 July) morning.

After trying to swallow an object, he later became ill and died in hospital.

Protesters gathered in the area on Friday afternoon, some holding Black Lives Matter banners and placards. According to reports, violence broke out at around 8pm.

The BBC report that bins, mattresses and other objects were used to create roadblocks. By 10pm, missiles including bottles and fireworks were thrown at riot police officers as they moved towards the crowd.

Several of the bins and mattresses used to block the road were later set alight, with many shop windows in the area also shattered.

Motorists and pedestrians were warned to steer clear of the area.

At this stage, it is unclear if any arrests were made by police, although it is reported that the trouble had died down by 11pm.

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