Man arrested in Bristol protest hate crime investigation

A 26-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an investigation into an alleged hate crime incident which took place during last Saturday’s protest. 

Detectives launched an investigation after a video was circulated online following the protest and counter-protest in Bristol city centre which saw a large-scale policing operation stood up.  

In addition to the video, four people who attended the protest, and two people who saw the video online, came forward to report the incident to us. 

The man was arrested today (Thursday 12 March) on suspicion of religiously-aggravated public order offences and has been taken into police custody where he will be questioned. 

We continue to review footage from throughout the day and will take action where offences are identified. 

Ch Supt Paul Wigginton, the Gold Commander for the protest and the Bristol Commander, said:  

“Saturday’s protest was a complex policing operation and I understand people may have questions about why more arrests weren’t made during it. 

“Officers faced extremely challenging circumstances and had to make decisions in a dynamic and fast-moving situation to make sure the public was kept safe and that peaceful protest could take place. 

“To ensure this, officers may sometimes be unable to break from their set cordons to deal with other matters. Cordons are a vital policing tool designed to keep everyone involved safe and to protect the wider public from harm. 

“This doesn’t mean offences won’t be investigated and that people committing offences will get away with it. Just because the protest is over, doesn’t mean our policing of it has concluded. 

“As has been shown today, offences are subject to thorough investigations, and this can mean arrests follow in the days after a protest. 

“Let me be clear, hate of any kind will not be tolerated. It is something which we take very seriously at Avon and Somerset Police. 

“As is usual practice, we’re taking the time to review Saturday’s policing operation so we can continue to identify learning to take forward to future protests.  

“We continue to urge anyone who witnesses criminal offences being committed to report them to us.” 

If you have footage or witnessed anything on the day which caused you concern, please call us on 101 and quote 5226027319, or report it online via our website.