DEMONSTRATORS CHANTED ABUSE AT POLICE OFFICERS OUT

DEMONSTRATORS CHANTED ABUSE AT POLICE OFFICERS OUTSIDE THE

OLD BAILEY ON MONDAY AS AN ALLEGED PETROL BOMBER WENT ON TRIAL

FOR HIS PART IN THE TOTTENHAM RIOT.

THE DEMONSTRATORS WERE MARKING THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE

BROADWATER FARM ESTATE RIOT IN WHICH PC KEITH BLAKELOCK WAS SAVAGELY

HACKED TO DEATH.

IN THE DOCK IS 18 YEAR-OLD FACTORY WORKER HASSAN MULLER, OF

KIRKSTALL AVENUE, TOTTENHAM, WHO DENIES AFFRAY, THROWING EXPLOSIVES

AND BURGLARY.

MR VICTOR TEMPLE, PROSECUTING, SAID THAT ALTHOUGH MULLER HAD

NOTHING TO DO WITH THE DEATH OF PC BLAKELOCK HE HAD PLAYED A

SIGNIFICANT PART IN THE RIOT.

MULLER, WHO HAD BEEN ON THE ESTATE FOR FOUR HOURS DURING

THE WORST OF THE VIOLENCE, ALLEGEDLY TOLD POLICE THAT HE WAS

RESPONSIBLE FOR THROWING NUMEROUS BRICKS AND TWO PETROL BOMBS AT

FRONT LINE RIOT OFFICERS.

CHIEF SUPERINTENDANT DAVID FRENCH TOLD THE COURT THAT WHEN

HE ARRIVED ON THE ESTATE ON OCTOBER 6 LAST HE SAW LINES OF MOTOR

VEHICLES BEING USED AS A BARRICADE AND THEN SET ON FIRE.

‘THE FLAMES WERE SO EXTENSIVE THAT I COULD NOT TELL EXACTLY

HOW MANY YOUTHS THERE WERE.

A SMALLER GROUP OF YOUTHS IN FRONT OF

THE CARS WERE THROWING MISSILES AT RIOT OFFICERS AND THERE WAS ABOUT

200 RIOTERS BEHIND THE BARRICADE,’ SAID CHIEF SUPT.

FRENCH.

HE SAID THAT 40 TO 50 POLICEMAN WEARING FLAME PROOF OVERALLS

AND SPECIAL PROTECTIVE HELMETS CARRYING SHIELDS ADVANCED ON THE

RIOTERS BUT WERE FORCED TO RETREAT WHEN PETROL BOMBS WERE HURLED FROM

BEHIND THE BARRICADE.

THE COURT HEARD THAT THREE SEPARATE BARRICADES, MADE UP OF

FLAMING CARS, WERE SET UP AROUND THE ESTATE.

‘THERE WAS LOUD

SHOUTING FROM THE RIOTERS AND ONE HOUSE WAS COMPLETELY GUTTED AFTER

IT HAD BEEN SET ON FIRE,’ SAID THE OFFICER.

HE SAID THAT FIRE OFFICERS HAD TO BE PROTECTED AS THEY PUT

OUT THE BLAZES AND LOCAL RESIDENTS HAD TO BE EVACUATED FROM THE

HOUSES.

DURING THE DISTURBANCES OFFICERS FOUND TWO CARS PARKED

TOGETHER UNDER A BLOCK OF FLATS WHJICH HAD BEEN SET ABLAZE.

‘THE

FLAMES WERE SO EXTENSIVE THAT THEY WERE LICKING THE BOTTOM OF THE

FLATS ABOVE,’ ADDED MR FRENCH.

THE TRIAL CONTINUES.

ENDS.