News / Bike
‘Anti-social’ group sets bike on fire and assaults officers
Police are on the lookout for a “reckless” group who assaulted officers and set a bike on fire when they were approached during a foot patrol.
Late on Thursday night, when two Avon and Somerset officers were patrolling near Pero’s Bridge, they were faced with a group of around 10 men who are said to have been behaving antisocially.
They were witnessed riding e-bikes on a pedestrianised area near Bristol’s waterfront and across Pero’s bridge. When the officers attempted to detain one of the men, the group became aggressive and a female officer had her wrist bent back.
A screwdriver was hurled at another female officer when attempting to confront the group.
The charred remains of the bike were still seen near the bridge on Friday afternoon
The group of men who had their faces covered with balaclavas went on to pour accelerant on a bike, before ultimately setting it on fire. This is believed to be their attempt to block the officers’ path, before running away.
Neighbourhood policing chief inspector Keith Smith has called the incident “unacceptable” and urged for the public’s help in locating the group.
He said: “Our officers were out on foot patrol yesterday evening providing public reassurance in a busy part of the city centre. They were engaging with members of the public when they saw this group acting anti-socially.
“They were then subjected to abuse and had objects thrown at them before the bike was set on fire. These actions were reckless and unacceptable and not only put our officers at risk, but also the wider public.
“Our investigation into the incident is ongoing and we want to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard something, especially if anyone saw a group of this size in the area without their balaclavas on.
“We understand this is a concerning incident, which is why we are increasing our police presence and conducting high-visibility patrols in the area over the coming days. Do not hesitate to approach one of our officers and speak with them if you need to.”
All photos: Martin Booth
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