Bristol’s ‘kill the bill’ riot: one year on

It started like dozens of other protests have in Bristol over the last few years.

The distinctive sounds of the Ambling Band filled the air of College Green as people gathered, while Anthony Paradox rode his mobility scooter through Castle Park as the march came to an end.

But an afternoon of peaceful protest turned into a riot as Bridewell Police Station came under sustained attack on Sunday, March 21 2021.

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Exactly one year on from the ‘kill the bill’ riot and 15 people have so far been sent to prison for their part in the riot, jailed for a combined total of 57 years and 11 months.

The latest of these was Jasmine York, who was found guilty of arson by a jury at Bristol Crown Court after pushing a wheelie bin into a police car on All Saints Street close to The Lanes. She was jailed for nine months.

All Saints Street at 10.43pm on March 21 2021

The protest was taking place in response to the government’s proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill, with some people making their way back to outside Bridewell Police Station as the march around the city ended.

Police initially formed two lines facing in opposite directions, with four horses facing the larger group of protesters on the Primark side of Rupert Street.

On the other side, some protesters sat down on the road in front of one line of officers in riot gear.

‘Kill the bill’ protesters sit down in front of a line of riot police at 5.58pm

The first scuffles seen by Bristol24/7 broke out soon after 6pm as protesters pushed against police riot shields, with some officers hitting back with their batons.

Throughout the evening there were regular calls from rioters for water as people were pepper-sprayed.

Some protesters had climbed onto a ledge accessed via Rupert Street car park, where they wrote ‘fuck the police’ on the wall of the police station, later smashed a window and then threw rocks at the police below despite other protesters urging them not to with shouts.

Mounted officers leave from outside Bridewell Police Station at 6.44pm

As the sun began to set, police lines were pushed back and the protest became a riot.

The first fires were set underneath one tyre of a police van, which officers standing around the other side could put out with a fire extinguisher.

Police also stood firm when two young women squatted down in front of them in front of the police station and took selfies while relieving themselves on officers’ boots.

But they could do nothing – or decided to do nothing – when a mobile police station van on Bridewell Street was set alight.

As one police car was burning on the corner of All Saints Street and Nelson Street, the crowd watched on, seemingly transfixed.

From around 8.30pm, police lines began to move forward, sometimes helped by dogs and horses, pushing the rioters back.

Roads were retaken from rioters, who regrouped ready for the next fight.

Some of the ugliest scenes from an evening of violence came on Nelson Street, where rioters removed some of the Heras fencing protecting the scaffolding around The Station and used it as improvised weapons.

Heras fencing was used as an improvised weapon by rioters at 11.05pm

Rioters pushed and kicked the fencing into police before turning on their heels when police dogs appeared.

Police lines prevented access to much of Bridewell Street, Silver Street, Rupert Street, Nelson Street & All Saints’ Street, but it took until after midnight for the last of the protesters to disperse.

Watch a full video of what happened on the evening of March 21 2021 by following the link below to YouTube:

All photos & videos: Martin Booth

Read more: ‘Where is the condemnation from Bristol’s leaders about the actions of the police?’

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