The Met Police has only authorised the use of baton rounds at events led by Black people in the last six years, a Freedom of Information (FOI) investigation has revealed.
Also known as plastic bullets, baton rounds are designed to be less lethal than traditional bullets, but have long been controversial for their ability to cause severe injuries.
According to an FOI investigation by Liberty Investigates - results of which were shared with the Guardian - the Met has authorised the weapons to be used by officers at Notting Hill Carnival for the last six years including the one taking place this August, and also at Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests held in central London in 2020.
But baton rounds have reportedly not been authorised for use at other protests and events in the last six years, such as 2018 marches by Tommy Robinson supporters and by the Democratic Football Lads Alliance, both of which turned violent.
The FOI findings come after a damning report by Baroness Dame Louise Casey published in March found the Met Police to be “institutionally racist”, as well as homophobic and mysogynistic.
But the Met says it would be “inaccurate and irresponsible” to conclude the ethnicity of event organisers or attendees factors in when deciding if baton rounds should be authorised.
The BLM protests in summer 2020 were sparked by the death of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minneaopolis.
The Met explained that while the London protests were largely peaceful, a small number of participants were violent.
By June 10 that year, more than 40 police officers had been injured, and amid concerns the violence could escalate further, Met officers were given authorisation for baton rounds to be a “tactical option” between June 12 and 15.
The weapons were not actually used by officers during these protests, or at Notting Hill Carnival.
Former Met Police chief superintendent Victor Olisa told the Guardian: “I can think of some far-right demonstrations where there has been violence and some football games where you know there will be violence.”
Baton rounds are not thought to have yet been used to police public order events in England, but have been used in Northern Ireland, where they killed and injured a number of people during the Troubles.
In one incident in Belfast in 1975, a 10-year-old boy was killed when he was hit by a baton round that richocheted off the ground, having been fired by a soldier attempting to quell unrest.
Responding to the FOI findings regarding baton rounds, a Met Police spokesperson said: “Any consideration given to the use of tactics such as baton rounds is about preventing loss of life, serious violence, and serious disorder on the streets of London,” said the spokesperson.
“It is inaccurate and irresponsible to imply the ethnicity of those likely to be involved in an event or protest influences the tactics considered.
“Baton rounds have never been used by the Met in a public order situation.
“They have been authorised as a precaution in a very limited number of situations in recent years, including protests in central London in 2020 where serious violence was anticipated and occurred resulting in significant injuries to more than 40 officers.
“Even during this scale of serious violence baton rounds were not deployed demonstrating the level of restraint operational commanders apply when considering their use.
“This tactic has also previously been authorised ahead of Notting Hill Carnival due to significant intelligence suggesting serious violence would occur. Over the last five years there has been a murder, 47 stabbings, 172 incidents of grievous bodily harm, and 159 officers injured as a result of violence during this event.
“Only an Assistant Commissioner can authorise baton rounds as an available tactic. It is absolutely right this decision sits at this level of sign off. But authorisation does not automatically mean they will be deployed, it is purely a preparatory step.”
Notting Hill Carnival takes place on the last weekend of August each year, and is attended by around one million people, in celebration of the capital’s cultural diversity and history.
Last year saw 74 officers injured, along with a number of serious assaults on members of the public, include an incident that saw a young man murdereed.
