Met chief 'shocked' by violence at hunt protest

Scotland Yard chief Sir John Stevens today revealed police were taken by surprise by the ferocity of the violence during the pro-hunt demonstration outside Parliament.

He said 48 police officers were hurt in disturbances at the Countryside Alliance protest on 15 September. Initial reports put the figure at three.

Sir John told a meeting of the Metropolitan Police Authority his force was shocked by the violence. At one stage, he said, a small group of protesters, some wearing masks, tried to break through police lines and storm Parliament.

"We have had demonstrations by the Countryside Alliance before and they have been an example of how to demonstrate peacefully," he said. "It came as a bit of a surprise that officers came under fire from a small part of the crowd."

He said some officers suffered broken bones and others had teeth knocked out. Weapons used against police included dismantled barriers and crow scarers, which he described as explosive devices.

But he admitted the Met needed to examine whether a small number of officers overreacted. Demonstrators were seen on television with blood streaming from head wounds caused by metal batons.