News / Kill the Bill riot
Protesters gather outside Crown Court ahead of first ‘kill the bill’ trial
Protesters gathered outside Bristol Crown Court as the trial of a ‘kill the bill’ riot defendant prepared to get underway.
Ryan Roberts has previously pleaded not guilty to one charge of riot, two counts of arson and three counts of attempted arson.
He is accused to have taken part in the violent scenes which saw police vehicles set alight and windows smashed at Bridewell police station.
is needed now More than ever
On Monday morning, a protester on Small Street chanted into a megaphone as some supporters held police riot shields that had been painted with slogans including ‘In defiance of state violence’ and ‘We didn’t start the fire, it was always burning’.
The colourful shields were later confiscated by police.
In front of the crown court, one banner in black and white read ‘Support KTB defendants, resist police violence’ while another read ‘Protest is not a crime, free Ryan Renolds’.
Roberts, 25, of Goodhind Street in St Jude’s, is the first person to face trial for what happened outside on March 21 following a ‘kill the bill’ march.
Four other people from Bristol who have previously entered not guilty pleas to charges of riot will have their trials take place in July 2022.
They are Rose Lazarus, 20, of Hotwells; Leah Brenchley, 20, of Fishponds; Sidney Barnes, 21, of Bishopston; and Miles Walters, 26, of Redland.
Another person, Debra Wright, 42, of no fixed address, has been charged with assaulting an emergency worker during the riot and is due to appear at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday.
Main photo: Martin Booth
Read more: ‘Is this the end for Bristol’s “kill the bill” movement?’
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