WATCH: London’s Halloween Riot

halloween riot
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Liam Deacon

A number of arrests were made last night at an illegal rave witch descended into a street riot. Revellers charged police, set bins alight and even threw a suspected petrol bomb.

Police spent six hours trying to close down the ‘Scumoween’ rave on Whitgift Street, East London, in an abandoned workshop that forms part of the disused London Fire Brigade headquarters complex on Albert Embankment.

Footage from the scene showed an angry mob throwing chairs and bottles as they chanted, “scum” and “pigs” and charged police.

At 4am there were 44 police vans and cars on Albert Embankment alone, with many more parked in nearby streets. Four officers were injured and treated for minor injuries at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police (Met) said in the statement: “During this confrontation a number of missiles where thrown at officers, including one reported ‘petrol bomb’.”

Adding: “Shortly before 06:00hrs this morning, Sunday 1 November officers entered the venue stopping the event with powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act.

“Persons present in the venue were removed. There were some further arrests.”

More than 13,000 people were invited to the event on Facebook, with 4,000 registering to attend. In a warning issued on Wednesday to those who planned to come, organisers Scum Tek wrote on their page:

“This party is going ahead, stay peaceful, stay calm. Patience and numbers is in our favour. Do not antagonise the police. We don’t need to. At the end of the day we want to leave them remembering our good attitudes, we just came to dance, we are not their enemy.”

The Met tweeted last night: “We would discourage anyone still thinking of attending the illegal rave in Whitgift Street from coming to the area due to ongoing police op.”

This morning Scum Tek blamed the incident of police aggression. They wrote on their Facebook page: “To all who were peaceful and danced the night with good energy well done.

“To those who were aggressive, police and ravers alike! Ravers did not react until the police started bashing people senseless! Letting attack dogs go at people almost unrestrained.

“Many people tried to engage in dialogue from inside, the police were not interested to talk through peaceful resolutions (sic). This did not seem to be part of the orders. People talking to each other solves more that confrontation.”

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