Police can use rubber bullets if student protest turns ugly

POLICE have been told they can use rubber bullets on mainland Britain for the first time if student protests planned for Wednesday in London turn violent.
 
Last year there was chaos in the capital when demonstrations against tuition fees became ugly, and Scotland Yard is determined that there will be no repeat this time round.
 
About 10,000 are expected to attend tomorrow’s demonstration. Some 4,000 police officers will line the route of the march and Commander Simon Pountain of the Met says criminal behaviour will be dealt with "decisively and swiftly".
 
Although the use of baton rounds has been approved, bullets will only be "carried by a small number of trained officers". The BBC reports that none of the armed officers will actually be patrolling the route of the march.
 
The Daily Telegraph reveals that the Met will be also be using a "containment officer", who will oversee any kettling should police choose to use the controversial tactic.
 
Protesters will be handed leaflets warning them of the consequences of breaking the law, the Telegraph adds.
 
Jenny Jones, the Green Party’s mayoral candidate in London and a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority watchdog, said: "The prospect of the police shooting at unarmed demonstrators with any kind of bullet is frankly appalling, un-British and reminiscent of scenes currently being used by murderous dictatorships in the Middle East." ·