Drunken Brits attack police officer and locals in brawl

  • 2007-06-06
  • from wire reports
A brawl in Riga's old city on Tuesday saw a municipal police officer injured and four intoxicated British nationals arrested.

Inese Timane, a representative of the Riga municipal police, said the police were called at 9 p.m. to the scene, where they found four heavily drunk British tourists exchanging blows with several local residents.

When officers tried to calm down the brawlers, one of the British sprayed tear gas in the face of one of the officers. The officer was taken to hospital with burns to his face.

Riga criminal police chief Ints Kuzis told the Baltic News Service that a criminal procedure has been launched against one of the detained Brits for assault on a law enforcement officer. The other three British nationals are facing administrative action over petty hooliganism.