A TEENAGER has been charged with attacking a police officer after a violent clash erupted during protests outside a migrant hotel, police revealed yesterday.
Jarad Skeete, 19, was arrested following the riot on Friday night, which left three people injured.
Officers said they’d been facilitating a peaceful protest and counter-demonstration when a group turned up armed with missiles and hammers.
Skeete was one of 15 people arrested outside The Suites hotel in Knowsley, Merseyside, which has been used to house asylum seekers since January last year.
He’s been charged with violent disorder and assault by beating an emergency worker.
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Skeete, of Aigburth, Merseyside, was remanded in custody and will appear at Wirral Adult Remand Court on Monday.
The remaining 14 people arrested have been bailed pending an investigation.
In a statement following the riot, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, of Merseyside Police, said: “A number of individuals who turned up at the Suites Hotel last night were intent on using a planned protest to carry out violent and despicable behaviour.
“They turned up armed with hammers and fireworks to cause as much trouble as they could.
“Indeed, one of my officers was injured in the line of duty, as were a number of members of the public, and it is only through luck that no-one was more seriously injured or worse.
“A police van was also out of commission as a result of being set on fire.”
The violence was believed to be sparked by a video circulating on social media which allegedly shows an asylum seeker making inappropriate comments to a 15-year-old girl in the street.
Development minister Andrew Mitchell said: "We live in a country where peaceful protest is part of our way of life and I strongly support that.
“But violence in the way that we saw on Friday night is completely unacceptable and the Government condemns it absolutely."