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Mob attacks UK police station
20/08/2007 07:03 - (SA)
London - British police arrested 15 people on Sunday after a police station in eastern England was attacked by a crowd of about 100 people hurling beer and wine bottles.
The attack on the building in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was apparently sparked by the arrests of three people on suspicion of driving a vehicle with sound equipment.
"What we do is arrest people who we think are acting suspiciously. That's why they were arrested," a police spokesperson told AFP.
"We became suspicious of this van and its occupants. They ran off, we arrested them, and we took them in for questioning."
Police were also investigating a burglary at an industrial estate in the same town, where they were monitoring an "unlicensed musical event".
The spokesperson said he could not say "for certain whether the arrests are linked to the unlicensed musical event".
Norfolk Police said that the arrests following the mob attack were in relation to violent disorder, possession of drugs, and taking a vehicle without consent. Some 44 vehicles were also seized.
No police officers were injured in the attack on the station, which took place just after midnight on Sunday, though two police vehicles were damaged in what was described as a "major incident".
"What occurred was entirely unacceptable - large-scale anti-social behaviour carried out by a large group of people - and it is inexcusable," said Chief Superintendent Bob Scully.
"This behaviour and activity simply won't be tolerated."
Scully said that the arrested trio were not involved in the attack on the police station, though the two events were being linked by police.
- AFP
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