I wanted to stop violence from police, protester tells riot trial

AMAN charged with riot in Bristol told a jury he attended a peaceful protest which turned violent due to the actions of police.

Ryan Roberts said he went to the Kill the Bill demo in the city centre on March 21 to oppose the proposed Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which would give police and the Home Secretary increased powers to stop protests.

But he said the mood of the protest changed outside Bridewell Police Station when police donned protective equipment and started to ‘assault’ the gathering.

He told Bristol Crown Court: ”There were people injured where they had been hit by a baton or shield,” he said.

“It was quite upsetting really, the way that they acted.”

Ryan Roberts, 25, of Rawnsley House, Easton, denies wrongdoing.

He denies: riot, two counts of attempted arson with intent to endanger life; two counts of attempted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and two counts of arson being reckless.

Roberts told the jury he was interviewed by police on April 1. He said at the time of the protest he was living in Bristol and confirmed he was advised by his solicitor to answer “no comment” when interviewed.

Roberts said he was at the March 21 event to demonstrate against the bill, which set out to ban peaceful protest.

He said his role at the event was to maintain a peaceful protest.

Roberts told the jury he heard about the demonstration through friends and he expected a big turnout.

He was not involved in organising the event and didn’t know organisers, he said.

He said his purpose was peaceful protest for freedom of speech.

Roberts said he led an “alternative” lifestyle.

He admitted mounting a flat roof and encouraging a peaceful protest.

He had male and female friends in the crowd, he said.

He said the mood changed when police got into their PSU (Police Support Unit) protective suits and created a sterile area in front of the police station.

He told the jury his intention was peaceful protest and he had encouraged people to step away from police.

It was not his intention to cause injury or damage, he said.

Roberts told the jury he was trying to get the police to leave the peaceful protest for the people to reclaim the street.

Regarding kicking a policeman’s shield, Roberts said he did so in self-defence as his friend had been hit by a shield.

He said he was “carried away” when he attacked the windows of Bridewell Police Station.

He said he attacked a police vehicle wing mirror “just to cause damage” and his intention was just to cause damage – to “defund” the police.

He said the protest turned from a protest about the bill going through parliament to focus on the police because of what

There were people injured where they had been hit by a baton or shield. It was quite upsetting really.

Ryan Roberts

they did.

Roberts told the jury he looked inside the passenger-side glove box of a mobile police station but had no “lighting” material in either hand. He said he saw a fire being lit on the driver’s side, but he didn’t see who lit it.

Roberts told the jury that, regarding a stationary police van, he lit a rubbish bag under a front wheel arch, to start a little fire, to get what he thought was an unoccupied vehicle to leave. He said if the van hadn’t left it would have stayed there and sustained more damage.

He denied saying “bang”, the court heard.

Roberts accepted putting burning material under a moving van to get the vehicle to leave. He said his actions were prompted to stop violence from the police. He said he was “caught up in the moment” when he moved a bin next to a Ford Kuga police car and set the bin alight. He recalled maybe saying “let’s roll it” regarding a police vehicle, and accepted consuming alcohol and cannabis on the day.

The case continues.