A Metropolitan Police officer has been filmed repeatedly punching a man in the face as a snatch squad moved in on London protests following the Southport attacks, with 111 people now arrested.

Footage widely shared online appeared to show an officer hitting a demonstrator in central London as crowds gathered in response to the Southport stabbings near Liverpool. 

ASSAULT TO THE DEMONSTRATOR

Police waded in before punching the man who was also kneed as he fell to the ground during the ugly scenes near Whitehall last night.

A clip has been posted on X, with the caption: ‘Shocking footage shows Metropolitan Police walking up to a protester, minding his own business, and then violently punches him in the face and tackles him to the ground.’ 

UPDATES ON SOUTHPORT STABBINGS

It comes as a 17-year-old man accused of the Southport stabbings on Monday appeared in court and was publicly named for the first time. 

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NUMBER OF ARRESTS MADE

Scotland Yard revealed 111 arrests were made during Whitehall riots over the Southport mass stabbing, after bottles, flares and fists rained down on officers.

The arrests were made for offences including violent disorder, assaults on police officers, possession of knives and offensive weapons and breach of protest conditions.

About 1,000 protesting yobs were condemned by the force as ‘shameful’ – as they accused them of exploiting the tragedy ‘for their own violence and criminality’.