Thug who yelled ‘Come on!’ at police pleads responsible to violent dysfunction
- Alfie Arrowsmith, 28, of Dartford, Kent, pleaded guilty to participating in a riot
- Disorder took place two days after the stabbings of three girls in Southport
- Arrowsmith repeatedly threatened police officers to fight with him in London
A thug who clashed with police at a violent far-Right protest outside Downing Street wept in the dock yesterday as he admitted violent disorder.
Alfie Arrowsmith repeatedly threatened officers and shouted ‘come on’ as he invited them to fight him in Westminster on July 31, a court heard.
The 28-year-old appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court where he pleaded guilty to ‘using or threatening unlawful violence’.
Photographs show Arrowsmith, of Dartford, Kent, being forced back by police as he furiously confronts them, while in others he is seen hurling abuse as a foaming can of lager flies over his head towards officers.
Police dressed in riot gear arrested 121 people during the violent disorder, which took place two days after three children were killed in a stabbing at a dance studio in Southport.
Alfie Arrowsmith repeatedly threatened officers and shouted ‘come on’ as he invited them to fight him in Westminster on July 31, a court heard
Police dressed in riot gear arrested 121 people during the violent disorder, which took place two days after three children were killed in a stabbing at a dance studio in Southport
Flares were launched at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square during ugly scenes in central London
Bottles and cans were thrown at officers and flares were launched at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square during ugly scenes in central London.
Courts nationwide yesterday continued to deal with rioters, with Ministry of Justice figures showing that more than 460 people have already appeared in court, with 99 sentenced by Friday.
Thousands of protestors turned up on July 31 in central London, with some turning on police
Arrowsmith was amongst the crowd when he walked up to police officers and shouted ‘come on’ as a way of inviting them to fight him. Pictured: Another protester goads the police
Westminster magistrates heard yesterday that Arrowsmith ‘walked up to police lines and repeatedly threatened police officers, inviting them to ‘come on’ and effectively inviting them to fight him’.
He was caught via analysis of CCTV footage.
Wearing a grey tracksuit, he choked back tears and looked over at his girlfriend in the public gallery as he issued his guilty plea yesterday.
Arrowsmith’s solicitor told the court he had no previous convictions and is a carer for his disabled mother.
But District Judge Annabel Pilling denied Arrowsmith bail ahead of sentencing at Inner London Crown Court on Tuesday.
