A man has been arrested on suspicion of urinating on the Westminster memorial dedicated to PC Keith Palmer, amid violent protests by far-right activists in central London.
The 28-year-old was arrested on suspicion of outraging public decency and is in custody in Essex after presenting himself at a police station. The incident is believed to have taken place in the afternoon of Saturday 13 June.
The photograph of a man apparently urinating on the memorial outside the Houses of Parliament sparked an outcry from politicians and the general public.
Keith Palmer died after being stabbed in the grounds of parliament during a terrorist attack by Khalid Masood in 2017.
Speaking on Saturday in response to an image circulating on social media, Bas Javid, a Met police commander, said: “We are aware of a disgusting and abhorrent image circulating on social media of a man appearing to urinate on a memorial to PC Keith Palmer. I feel for PC Palmers family, friends and colleagues.
“We have immediately launched an investigation, and will gather all the evidence available to us and take appropriate action.”
More than 100 people were arrested at the far-right protest in London on Saturday, which was condemned by the prime minister, Boris Johnson, as “racist thuggery”.
Six police officers suffered minor injuries in violent clashes as several hundred demonstrators, mostly white men, attended the protest organised by far-right groups which claimed they wanted to protect statues such as that of Winston Churchill from vandalism.
Video footage shows some of the self-proclaimed “statue defenders” apparently making Nazi salutes, and the protest quickly turned violent as the group took over areas near the Houses of Parliament and Trafalgar Square and hurled missiles, smoke grenades, glass bottles and flares at police officers.
Outbursts of violence continued around the city after a 5pm curfew set by the police had passed, with the last few protesters removed from parliament Square at about 6.45pm.
By 9pm, more than 100 people had been arrested for offences including assault on officers, breach of the peace, violent disorder, possession of an offensive weapon, possession of class A drugs, and drunk and disorderly behaviour.
London ambulance service said it had treated 15 people for injuries, including two police officers.
Six of these patients, all members of the public, had to be taken to hospital.
