Million Mask March: Three police officers hospitalised following yesterday's protest

Three police officers have been treated for injuries at a London hospital following clashes with anti-capitalist protesters in the capital.

Crowds gathered in Parliament Square for the annual Million Mask March, a global protest event held on 5 November organised by the 'hacktivist' collective Anonymous.

According to the Metropolitan Police, 50 arrests were made during the protest, mainly for "public order offences", while two people were arrested for "assaulting a police officer". The officer in charge of policing protests in London, Ben-Julian Harrington, told The Guardian he condemned what he described as "unacceptable violence" at the event. He said: "Officers have been hospitalised, a police horse suffered injuries and a police car was criminally damaged during the course of the protest, which is completely unacceptable.

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"I praise the professionalism and restraint that officers have shown in the face of hostile provocation and enabled the policing operation to pass without major incidents. We will bring those responsible for the criminality to face justice."

The policing at the protest came under scrutiny after controversial tactics known as 'kettling' were put in place. Protesters were also told that if they did not remove their masks they would be committing an offence.

One activist, who gave her name as Lola, told the BBC she had travelled from Hull to the capital to speak up for others:

"There are people who aren't represented, they should be here," she said.

"The media twist it. We are peaceful, we are doing this in a peaceful manner, but the media focus on the 1% who cause trouble."

In a separate incident captured on video, the Daily Telegraph reported that a photographer had been run over by an Aston Martin at the protest. In the footage the supercar can be seen to make contact with the photographer after being surrounded by protesters.

Thousands joined yesterday's march and one protester told the Guardian that they were just looking for a peaceful way to spread a message about inequality. "We tried for six years to get the press to take us seriously. It is only when we wore the masks that we started getting attention. Anyone who is violent is not with us," he said.

Police warn of violence at Anonymous protest in London

05 November

Thousands of extra police officers are to be deployed on the streets of London tonight after Scotland Yard warned that a protest organised by hacktivist group Anonymous is likely to turn violent.

The Million Mask March is an annual event billed as a movement against the "abuses and malpractice" of government and is part of a global demonstration due to take place simultaneously in hundreds of cities, including Sydney, Paris and New York.

This year's march in London is expected to criticise the new Investigative Powers Bill that was unveiled yesterday as well as the government's response to the ongoing refugee crisis.

"We have seen the pushes to make the internet yet another part of the surveillance state, we have seen the government's disregard for migrants, we have seen the capital, profit and greed of the few put before the wellbeing of the many and we say enough is enough," the group said.

"The government and the 1 per cent have played their hand, now it is time to play ours."

Last year's London protest was one of the largest in the world as thousands gathered in Parliament square before blockading Buckingham Palace and the BBC's central London studios. Several people were arrested after protesters clashed with riot police.

This year demonstrations are planned for Parliament Square, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and outside the Ecuadorian Embassy where WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has taken refuge.

Fearing an escalation in violence this year, police will impose tough public order restrictions around the protest area.

"This year we have strong reason to believe that peaceful protest is the last thing on the minds of many of the people who will come along," Chief Superintendent Pippa Mills told The Guardian.

Anonymous, meanwhile, has warned protesters that "the police are not your friend" and told them to "keep an eye out for your comrades and police tactics".