Police Chief warns of extreme protest tactics

UK: Police might have to adopt more "extreme" tactics to deal with the new breed of protesters who took part in riots in London last month, one of the country's most senior officers has said.

Students staged four protests late last year against government plans to raise university tuition fees, each being marred by violence. The final demonstration on Dec. 9 led to the worst riots in the capital for years, with protesters attacking the car of Prince Charles.

Hugh Orde, President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, said the speed with which new protest groups had organised demonstrations and their lack of willingness to cooperate had created a "whole new dimension to public order".

In an interview with Prospect magazine published on Thursday, he said there had to be a realisation that a lack of communication from protesters would prompt a different police response.

"The public do understand far better why police tactics do have to be seen as slightly more extreme if they are fully appreciative of the fact that the only reason we're doing this is that these people will not engage with us pre-event," he said. More demonstrations are expected as the impact of the government's austerity measures to reduce the country's budget deficit begin to bite.

London, Thursday, Reuters