Student violence: Police 'got balance wrong' over fees protest tactics

The Metropolitan Police, criticised for its heavy-handed tactics during the G20 protests last year, got the balance wrong between cracking down on violence and allowing protest, Policing minister Nick Herbert said yesterday.

But the blame for the "appalling scenes" lay "squarely and solely" with those who carried out the violence, he said.

More than 40 officers were injured and 50 people arrested as a hard core of protesters occupied 30 Millbank in central London, smashing windows, lighting fires and throwing missiles, including a fire extinguisher, from a roof.

Prime Minister David Cameron called for "the full force of the law" to be used against those responsible and welcomed an inquiry by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.

Mr Herbert urged MPs to await the outcome of the review "rather than speculate on the intelligence failure", saying the inquiry will include "an examination of why numbers and violence on this scale were not anticipated".

The force planned to deploy just 225 officers to Wednesday's protests, but had to double the numbers sent to the scene as the situation developed.

He said. "The police have to strike a balance between dealing promptly and robustly with violent and unlawful activity on the one hand, and allowing the right to protest on the other.

Sir Paul admitted his force underestimated the number of people who would join the march and mistakenly categorised the event as a low risk to the capital.

It emerged that a metal fire extinguisher flung from the seventh floor of a building occupied by the demonstrators almost killed a police officer on the ground below.

In all, 41 officers were injured, with a "small number" being taken to hospital for treatment.

A total of 50 suspected rioters have been released on bail as police begin to hunt for dozens more of the troublemakers.