A MAN from Basildon has been jailed for his part in a "violent protest" near Downing Street last month.

Stevie Mulryne, an electrician, 29, was jailed for 16 months for making a stabbing gesture towards police.

Police arrested 121 people after the disorder in Whitehall, central London, two days after three children were killed during a mass stabbing at a dance studio in Southport.

Bottles and cans were thrown at officers and flares were launched at the statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square during the 'Enough is Enough' demonstration.

Mulryne, of Basildon, joined in with a chant of “who the f*** is Allah?” during the protest in central London on July 31, Inner London Crown Court heard.

He pleaded guilty on Wednesday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court to violent disorder.

Alex Rooke, defending, said his client had been “outraged and triggered” by events in Southport and was attending what he believed to be a “demonstration against knife crime”.

The barrister said his client and others had participated in “monkey-like behaviour” towards officers.

The father of two “broke down” during his police interview and told officers it is “easy to be silly in a silly crowd”, Mr Rooke added.

Sentencing him, Judge Benedict Kelleher said violent protests cannot be tolerated.

Mulryne was jailed alongside Charles Smith, 22, a tree surgeon from Uxbridge, who also joined in with the chant and was at the “forefront” of a group which confronted officers.

He was jailed for 23 weeks after he “struck up a fighting stance” and chanted “scum” at officers.

Sentencing Smith, Judge Benedict Kelleher said his actions “demonstrated a complete contempt for the police”.