Anarchists 'attacked police after Hallowe'en arrest'

A group of up to 20 anarchists, known as the Wombles, attacked police officers after one of their friends was arrested, a court was told yesterday.

The anti-capitalist protesters, who were dressed in white paper boiler suits and Hallowe'en masks, are accused of reacting violently when one of them was handcuffed for allegedly shouting abuse and making an obscene gesture.

Seven of the group appeared at Horseferry Road magistrates' court in central London charged with a range of public-order offences including assaulting police and being drunk and disorderly. Robin Horsell, 41, Bennet McComish, 28, Clayton Elliott, 28, Peter Gerajhty, 37, Martin King, 28, Graham McAleer, 47, and Simon Chapman, 28, deny the charges.

Nick Mather, for the prosecution, told the court that a fracas broke out after Martin King made an obscene gesture and a V-sign at a police van driving along Oxford Street at 11pm on 31 October last year.

PC Martin Hayes got out of the van and approached Mr King, who is alleged to have told the officer he was a "fascist pig". He was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.

The officer claimed he was then surrounded by the rest of the group who started shouting "kick him" and "get him".

After police got Mr King into the van, the rest of the group attacked the vehicle, kicking it repeatedly in an attempt to rescue him and spitting at officers, it is alleged. When more police arrived the group ran off, but they were arrested shortly afterwards as they tried to discard their white suits, the court was told.

Kieran Boughan, representing Mr King, said his client denied calling PC Hayes a "fascist pig". Jo Cooper, representing Mr Elliot, claimed the officer was regarded as "trigger happy" by his colleagues. He said: "They think you're trigger happy and have low threshold and you lose control." PC Hayes denied that he was a strong supporter of "zero-tolerance policing" or that he had "picked a fight".

PC Hayes said: "We were basically swamped, we all felt extremely threatened ... I was confronted by a wall of masked individuals all punching and kicking out at me."

He added: "I feel, quite justifiably, that members of the public who pay my wages have a right to expect me to challenge anti-social behaviour."

The case continues.