A policeman who was bitten, kicked and punched by a 30-strong mob after asking a 15-year-old girl to pick up her litter today spoke of how he feared for his life and had to call for emergency backup.

The constable - one of two officers attacked by the crowd - gave the interview as he recovered at home from his injuries.

The unnamed policeman was bitten and suffered bruising and other minor injuries in the melee on a busy shopping street in Croydon, south London, on Wednesday afternoon.

The two male officers, aged 34 and 29, were on patrol in Northend, a pedestrianised street in the centre of Croydon, when they saw a teenage girl drop a piece of litter. They asked her to pick it up, which she did, but immediately dropped it on the ground again.

When the officers again asked the teenager to pick up the item, the girl's friend became aggressive and an argument broke out with the police. The constable said a crowd gathered and the incident quickly escalated out of control.

He said: "They swarmed at the start. They feel they can overcome you like a gang. It was a good 30-plus youths.

"It is the behaviour. It is unbelievable. I find it amazing that someone could bite another human being like that. They were acting like animals, but I hate using the term 'animals' because they would not do that. Animals have a reason for doing something.

"This is just nonsense violence. It is difficult to think that they could do something like this - and to a policeman."

Speaking about the attack in an interview with BBC Radio London, the officer added: "They did not want her to get arrested, so they were trying to prevent us detaining her. She was never going to get arrested for dropping litter, but it is a fact there is no respect.

"I seriously think the parents of this child should be fined. We have to put out some sort of message and the only way is to get parents to take responsibility for their children."

The officer said he feared for his life and called for urgent assistance as the violence broke out.

He said: "She just threw litter on the floor and we asked if she could pick that up. As we walked away, she threw it at us.

"Then we went back to talk to her. You don't arrest these people for such a minor offence, it is a complete waste of time.

"It is just amazing and it depresses you the state of children today, the disrespect, not only for people who might not be in the police but anyone who is older.

"They think 'I want respect, I want respect'. They keep going on about it. Telling people 'I am going to **** you up' is a favourite saying. It is dreadful."

Although it is not thought any weapons were used in the affray, both officers needed medical treatment and are both currently on sick leave.

Officers believe five young women were involved at the start of the incident. They were joined by a number of men in their 30s and 40s. Investigators believe a number of older women also joined in. All of those involved were black.

Today, witnesses described how the fracas unfolded. One 27-year-old shop worker, who declined to give his name, said: "I noticed that there were a group of girls sitting on the benches.

"Two police officers approached one of them, I don't know what it was over, but I think they were trying to arrest her.

"The other girls were trying to stop her being arrested, and then about half of Croydon turned up to see what was going on.

"There were at least 100 people out there, which made it difficult to see what was going on. At one point I could see the girl was handcuffed and on the floor.

"I think only about four or five girls were involved in the incident, trying to stop the arrest. It was quite a bad incident, but I'm not surprised, because it's Croydon."

Another onlooker Neil Sullivan, 34, who saw the aftermath of the incident from a window, said: "There were a mixture of seven or eight police cars and vans, plus officers on foot.

"There were so many people congregated that you couldn't see what the focus of it all was. From about three in the afternoon you see large gangs of 30 or 40 kids on North End, and it is daunting for local shopkeepers and shoppers."

A 15-year-old local girl was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault. She has been released on police bail. Police said that when the girl's parents arrived at the police station they complained that the start of her summer holiday had been disrupted.

Yesterday, Croydon CID officers arrested a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old man, both from South Norwood, on suspicion of assault and violent disorder. Detectives are examining CCTV footage from the area in an effort to identify more individuals.

The local Metropolitan police inspector Simon Ellingham said: "We have heard from several retailers in the area who were horrified at the level of violence used by the crowd against the officers


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/18/ukcrime.youthjustice

These kids have no respect for authority!
I reckon they dont do this in the US because they might get shot!
Our cops carry tasers and guns!!