The Attorney General has called the attacks on police officers outside Parliament “sickening”.
Suella Braverman said targeting emergency workers was “particularly callous” after clashes broke out during an anti-racism protest outside Number 10 last night.
The violence marred what had largely been a peaceful London protest in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the death of George Floyd. The Met Police said 13 people have been arrested.
Ms Braverman, who is the Government’s most senior legal adviser, told the Commons: “Those scenes of people attacking our heroic police officers were, frankly, sickening.
“This is obviously a matter for operationally independent police forces to use their flexibility and discretion as they see fit.”
She said attacks on emergency workers are “particularly callous” and added: “There are heroic men and women who are sacrificing their own health and safety in the service of others.”
It was in response to a question from Lee Anderson who said his constituents were concerned about increasing violence towards emergency service workers.
He said: “After last night’s disturbing scenes outside this building it is no wonder why.”
Footage showed protesters hurling temporary barriers and glass bottles at the gates of Downing Street before riot police were deployed.
The developments came after thousands of protesters peacefully "took the knee" together and raised their fists to the sky at 6pm to honour Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old black man who died in custody last week.
Ms Braverman was also asked about her tweet in support of Dominic Cummings which had allegations that she had undermined the independence of her office.
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She told the Commons: “It’s plain for any reasonable observer to see that there was no question whatsoever of my having provided any public legal view.
“To suggest that was somehow illegal opinion is simply absurd.”
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