Avon and Somerset police chief constable Andy Marsh has said those involved in violence at the “Kill the Bill” protest in Bristol can expect “very serious consequences” as he revealed five arrests had been made so far.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “it wouldn’t have been practical or possible to have made more on the night given the volume of people involved”.

He said: “Rest assured, by the end of today we will be releasing pictures of some of the people we want.

“There will be a huge investigation. I do expect very serious consequences for those involved.”

The chief constable confirmed a total of 12 officers were injured with two 'seriously injured' in the riots last night

He said the numbers at the demonstration “very quickly” rose to possibly as many as 3,000 people and a group of 400 or 500 “who really were intent on violence, damage and criminality started to commit crimes, damage police vehicles” at about 6pm outside Bridewell police station in central Bristol.

He described Bridewell as a neighbourhood station which is also used by police officers to protect the most vulnerable in the city.

He told the programme: “We know they have burnt out three marked vehicles, nine vehicles that are used for safeguarding the most vulnerable have also been damaged and the windows of the station have been put in.”