Eight officers drafted in from a neighbouring force are claiming compensation from Staffordshire Police after being injured in an English Defence League protest.
They have lodged the insurance claims after being among 66 officers brought in from West Mercia Police to help control the Hanley march. It is believed two of the officers were knocked unconscious after the eight colleagues were attacked near McDonald’s in Parliament Row.
Staffordshire Police Federation chairman Andy Adams, who policed the protest, said: “The officers’ police van was surrounded and attacked. The officers were injured. They obviously feel very strongly about what happened.”
He added: “Lots of other officers got assaulted and pushed around and the crowd was stealing officers’ helmets and hats. There were lots of minor assaults that officers wouldn’t even contemplate claiming for, but what happened to the West Mercia officers could have been fatal.”
In total, 40 officers were injured in the protest staged in January, 2010.