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| Ukip MP Douglas Carswell surrounded by anti-austerity protesters in London | Ukip MP Douglas Carswell surrounded by anti-austerity protesters in London |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The Ukip MP, Douglas Carswell, has been escorted away in a police van after he was surrounded by anti-austerity protesters in central London. | The Ukip MP, Douglas Carswell, has been escorted away in a police van after he was surrounded by anti-austerity protesters in central London. |
| Carswell later tweeted that he had been waiting for a bus when he was attacked by a crowd, describing it as “very very nasty”. | Carswell later tweeted that he had been waiting for a bus when he was attacked by a crowd, describing it as “very very nasty”. |
| The MP said he had been engaged in peaceful discussions with a small group before being confronted by far larger numbers shouting insults such as “Ukip scum”. | The MP said he had been engaged in peaceful discussions with a small group before being confronted by far larger numbers shouting insults such as “Ukip scum”. |
| “It got extremely, extremely nasty. Their intentions were pretty murderous and I needed a lot of police officers to prevent them from attacking me,” he said, after being taken by officers to another stop to get his bus. | “It got extremely, extremely nasty. Their intentions were pretty murderous and I needed a lot of police officers to prevent them from attacking me,” he said, after being taken by officers to another stop to get his bus. |
| “I was stunned. I think MPs should be able to go about their business. It was incredibly intimidating. It was like a lynch mob on the streets of London. I thought this was a country where we had democracy and discussed the issues. | “I was stunned. I think MPs should be able to go about their business. It was incredibly intimidating. It was like a lynch mob on the streets of London. I thought this was a country where we had democracy and discussed the issues. |
| “It just got incredibly ugly. It was an attempted lynching. I am in a state of shock. I do not want to have to worry about going about my business.” | “It just got incredibly ugly. It was an attempted lynching. I am in a state of shock. I do not want to have to worry about going about my business.” |
| The journalist Harry Cole was on the scene and filmed the incident, later posting it on Twitter. | |
| Carswell escorted for own safety. pic.twitter.com/tVYrJhC46r | Carswell escorted for own safety. pic.twitter.com/tVYrJhC46r |
| The incident was one of a number of flashpoints involving skirmishes between police and protesters among a couple of thousand who took part in a demonstration in the Trafalgar square area against government austerity measures set out in the Queen’s speech. | |
| Police drew batons and linked arms to form a human barricade as protesters, some wearing masks and scarves to cover their faces, ran down Whitehall. | Police drew batons and linked arms to form a human barricade as protesters, some wearing masks and scarves to cover their faces, ran down Whitehall. |
| Police said they made three arrests. They included a 45-year-old man who had been wanted on suspicion of violent disorder in Whitehall on 9 May. The others were a 17-year-old, arrested on suspicion of assault on police, and a man who was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. | Police said they made three arrests. They included a 45-year-old man who had been wanted on suspicion of violent disorder in Whitehall on 9 May. The others were a 17-year-old, arrested on suspicion of assault on police, and a man who was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon. |
| About 200 people took park in a second, smaller protest held outside Downing street, which was attended by union leaders and politicians, including Green party leader Natalie Bennett. | About 200 people took park in a second, smaller protest held outside Downing street, which was attended by union leaders and politicians, including Green party leader Natalie Bennett. |
| Take struggle to workplaces & march on the streets says @pcs_union's Mark Serwotka to @pplsassembly rally pic.twitter.com/J5sDT45nEY | Take struggle to workplaces & march on the streets says @pcs_union's Mark Serwotka to @pplsassembly rally pic.twitter.com/J5sDT45nEY |