Photos:TOP 10 Controversies in Royal Wedding 2011 (Prince William and Kate Middleton)

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Royal Wedding party ends with 21 arrests and a police officer hospitalised after riot in Glasgow park

• Celebrations turned violent after the music was turned off
• Officers were pelted with bottles and police car windows broken
• Arrests were made for drunkenness

An unofficial party organised on Facebook to celebrate the Royal Wedding ended in a full-scale riot with 21 people arrested.

A police officer was taken to hospital with a head injury following the gathering which took place in an affluent area of Glasgow close to the university.

Thousands turned out for the event in Kelvingrove Park, which got out of control shortly after the music was switched off.


Riot: Thousands attended the party in Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow after it was organised on Facebook

There were also claims that officers were pelted with bottles and that windows had been broken on police cars.
Strathclyde Police made 21 arrests for a variety of offences, mostly related to disorderly behaviour and drunkenness.
In conflicting advice to the hundreds of street parties going on up and down the country, Glasgow City Council had warned against the event and urged people to find a 'safer alternative'.


Disgrace: The Royal Wedding party descended into fights after the music was turned off

A spokesman for the police said: 'Police were aware of this unplanned, unauthorised event and put in place contingencies to ensure an appropriate and proportionate policing response.
'A statement was issued last night by Glasgow City Council urging people to stay away and reminding them of the by-law which forbids the consumption of alcohol in public places.

'Despite this, people attended in large numbers and police were deployed to ensure public safety and to try and facilitate a peaceful event.



Violent outbursts: Police battled a drunken crowd who reportedly pelted them with bottles

'Initially it was a good-natured event, however as the day progressed, a significant number of persons became more intoxicated resulting in disorder.'
Chief Superintendent Bernard Higgins said: 'It's really disappointing that on the day of the Royal Wedding we witnessed the scenes we did.

Scuffles: An injured party-goer in the Glasgow park

'At one point my officers came under attack and one was taken to hospital suffering from a head injury. He has been discharged and will make a full recovery.
'We made a number of arrests at the time and we will now study CCTV footage and make further arrests if appropriate. The level of drunkenness was completely unacceptable and frankly irresponsible.'
The Kelvingrove Street Party was planned to run from 11am to 9pm and organisers said the council and police were aware of the event.

A number of posts were put on Facebook after the party.

Tanja Goral wrote: 'I seen six-year-old kids there today, this was suppose to be a fun event and I feel sorry for the parents who had their children witness such idiotic acts. Get something good and it's ruined. I can bet that we will never be allowed to do this again.'
Craig Easdale wrote: 'This was a great event, and the behaviour of everyone was good on the whole, up until the police arrived. I feel if the event was shut down more calmly a lot of drama could have been avoided and the police definitely didn't handle it as well as they could have.'
Before the event, the event organisers JJ Gardner & Robbie Seath urged party-goers to 'take it easy, help us keep the rubbish under control and remember that there will be other folk in the park who aren't quite as Royalist/Party mad as ourselves'.
Although there was no indication that the riots at Kelvingrove Park were related, sectarianism has flared again in Glasgow in recent weeks after parcel bombs were sent to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and two high-profile supporters of the club.

There were numerous, peaceful celebrations taking place across Scotland yesterday in honour of the Royal Wedding.

Chilled out: The party in the Glasgow park started out peacefully enough as crowds of young people gathered to celebrate the Royal Wedding

Scenes from St Andrews, where William first met Kate at university, were beamed to a television audience of millions.
More than 2,000 people had a wedding breakfast at St Salvator's Quadrangle in the university. St Andrews said it had received 6,000 ticket applications for the free event.
Hundreds gathered on the lawn in front of Balmoral Castle to watch the wedding on six large screens.
The newlyweds are known to have enjoyed several romantic breaks at the royal residence on the 50,000-acre estate.
In Edinburgh, the Royal Standard of Scotland was flown at the headquarters of the Scottish Government.

Warnings: Glasgow council had urged people to find a 'safer alternative' to large public parties

Speaking before the ceremony, First Minister Alex Salmond, who attended the wedding with his wife Moira, said: 'This is a great day of celebration, and it is wonderful that the Queen has bestowed the Scottish title of Earl and Countess of Strathearn on the royal couple.
'The Royal Standard of Scotland is flying from St Andrew's House in Edinburgh in honour of this special day.
'I wish the royal couple my warmest wishes for a long and very happy married life together.'
More than 100 people watched the wedding on a big screen at Braehead Shopping Centre in Glasgow.
However not everyone was celebrating. Republicans gathered outside the Queen's official residence in Scotland to protest against the monarchy. Around 100 people chanted slogans at the gates of Holyrood Palace.
Protesters walked to the foot of the Royal Mile, briefly holding up traffic between the palace and Scottish Parliament.

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Cartwheeling with joy: Excitement over the Royal Wedding proves too much for Abbey’s verger as he performs acrobatics up the aisle



The relief of getting the wedding out of the way was etched not just on the faces of the people involved but also in the actions of one of the clergymen.
Verger Ben Sheward decided that after the majority of the guests had gone he would do some acrobatics and cartwheeled down the aisle at Westminster Abbey.
The joy of the nation was summed up in his actions caught on camera as ITV continued to film what was going on inside the abbey to millions of people watching worldwide.


Scroll down to see the video...






Preparing for the flip

Mid flip

Feet back on the ground






Flipping good time: Verger Ben Sheward lands with a smile after the wedding went without any hitches
A handful of the 1,900 guests can be seen hanging around at the entrance to the abbey looking on as he seized the chance to flip down the red carpet where William and Kate had just walked.


More...

• Just (wed) William! Prince drives his new bride away from the Palace in a vintage Aston after balcony kiss thrills the crowds
• Yard breathes tentative sigh of relief: Only 53 arrests among a million well-wishers as police's ring of steel around the capital is hailed a success
• SSSHH...! The sound of London celebrating the Royal Wedding gets a bit too much for one bridesmaid

This afternoon the video had only received a couple of hundred hits but is likely to soon become an internet sensation.

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They came prepared for the worst but on a day with just a handful of arrests even the police could afford to smile


Just 55 people arrested on the big day

• Officers laughed and joked with revellers
• One policeman staged a mock stumble in front of cheering crowds
  

They came prepared for the worst but the smiling face of the British bobby won over the public yesterday - with not a truncheon or riot shield in sight.

With a playful smile and a tip of the helmet hundreds of officers opted for the 'softy, softly' approach to tame an estimated one million people who descended on the capital to watch the happy couple tie the knot, and barely a hint of a flare up blighted the special day.

When hundreds of thousands of well-wishers surged towards Buckingham Palace eager for a glimpse of the newly-wed Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on the balcony, officers braced themselves for trouble.
SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

World watching: The Met turned entertainers as they kept the waiting crowds amused



Crowd pleaser: The bobbie pretends to trip over in his 'routine' to entertain waiting crowds







Applause! The police officer revels in the laughter after his comedy stumble









But the excited throngs were calmed when the Met deployed its humour and charm offensive as its latest crowd control tactic.

One comedy-copper looked like he'd spent more time picking up tips from Ken Dodd than on the beat arresting criminals.
He had the masses in the palm of his hand as he paraded along The Mall and then appeared to trip over quite spectacularly in a stumble that would not be out of place in Keystone Kops sparking a roar of laughter from the crowd.


More...

• The Royal joker: Harry quips his way through wedding... but not everyone is amused
• Party at the Palace! Newly weds William and Kate dance the night away as Harry finally gives speech
• 'We are so lucky to have her': Prince Charles's moving speech to the daughter he never had
• JAN MOIR: Catherine, the girl who's got high wattage star power
• Even vergers did cartwheels in Abbey aisles on a magical occasion
• How William and Kate's first public kiss on the Palace balcony signals a great future together (unlike Charles and Diana's)
• Her Royal Hotness: How Kate's foxy sister Pippa stole the show (leaving naughty Uncle Gary to languish in the shadows)
• AMANDA PLATELL: That showed them! 'Doors to manual' has the last laugh in glorious style

Realising he had quite an audience he raised his arms again and the throngs of spectators cheered again at his comedy stumble.

But it wasn't just this officer who charmed the wedding day revellers as they went about their duties.

One officer delighted schoolchildren who posed for photos outside Downing Street wearing his helmet.
Another proudly escorted two delighted lady guests arm in arm to the wedding, whilst others joked with revellers whilst keeping a close eye out for trouble.

And the boys in blue's happy-go-luck approach to frontline policing paid off as just 55 people were arrested.

Nice hat: A schoolgirl tries on a police officer's helmet during Sam Cam's royal wedding party in Downing Street
We're off to the palace! Delighted children wave Union Jack flags whilst a bobbie keeps an eye on the crowd


However, the success of Scotland Yard's security operation was no doubt due to the 'woman's touch' bought to hard-line policing.

Police chief Lynne Owens, only the second ever female assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan police, and her colleague Christine Jones oversaw the mammoth operation co-coordinating the 5,000 officers, the Territorial Support Group (TSG), firearms teams and undercover units, which provided a 'ring of steel' around the capital.

They also ensured that 80 foreign dignitaries, the royal family, and hundreds of wedding guests, remained safe and kept at bay Muslim extremists and far-right groups who have tried to organise protests.
There were fears of mass disorder after masked thugs gathered in central London, but officers swooped on two anti-royal protests, preventing an outbreak of violence.
In the days leading up to the wedding, they rounded up 99 potential troublemakers including a group of anarchists who planned to behead effigies of the Royal Family with a guillotine.
As well as the 55 arrests, 13 activists were stopped at Charing Cross and Covent Garden carrying climbing helmets, protective pads and anti-monarchy placards.
Now that's what I call a police escort: An officer, with a lady on each arm, helps guests arriving at the wedding

Enjoying the event: Armed police laugh as they patrol the Mall during the Royal Wedding




The most serious incident was an alleged *** attack on a 14-year-old girl who was standing with her family on Pall Mall. Police later arrested a 38-year-old man. Others were held for assault, being drunk and disorderly, drugs possession, theft and carrying an offensive weapon.

A man was also arrested under the Terrorism Act. Officers swooped after he was seen acting suspiciously, taking photos of transport hubs and security personnel. Police sources, however, indicated the man was likely to be released without charge.
Despite crowds of more than one million in London, large scale protests were prevented by roving squads of 1,000 officers in the West End.

Snipers took to rooftops and undercover officers mingled among the crowds as part of the Met operation.

Almost 100 known troublemakers were banned from attending central London in advance of the day.

Fully staffed: Police lead the thousands of people down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace to watch Prince William and his new bride Kate on the balcony at Buckingham Palace




On the eve of the wedding three people were arrested in Brockley, South-East London after police learned of a plot to stage a mock execution of effigies of members of the Royal Family outside Westminster Abbey.

One of them was Chris Knight, 68, the leader of anti-capitalist group, the Government of the Dead.

His partner Camilla Power, 60, and 45-year-old Patrick Macroidan, who was dressed as an executioner, were also held.
Known anarchist Charlie Veitch was also arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.

He was said to be planning a protest at Soho Square. A small group of hooded anarchists from the 'Right Royal Orgy Group' gathered there for a so-called anti-royal picnic chanting 'revolution' and 'we all live in a fascist regime'.










Last check: Police officers in dress uniform do a final patrol on The Mall in London in preparation for the Royal procession on the wedding day of Prince William and Kate Middleton
But police invoked stop and search powers to arrest activists and the protest was quickly disbanded.
Elsewhere, Republic, a pressure group which campaigns for a democratically elected head of state, hosted a 'Not the Royal Wedding' street party in Holborn.

The atmosphere was jovial as 400 gathered to sign petitions calling for an elected head of state.

Met Assistant Commissioner Lynne Owens said: 'We set out to make it a safe, happy event and we believe we have achieved that.'
Scotland Yard beefed up its stop and search powers as a small group of masked anarchists gathered in Soho Square, central London.

Officers were also in Red Lion Square, where 70 protesters were counted.
Other arrests included one on suspicion of ***ual assault in Pall Mall as crowds watched the ceremony on big screens.

On patrol: Police officers ride motorcycles along The Mall today




As the attention of the world was fixed on London, detectives threw a multimillion-pound ring of steel around the event including a traffic exclusion zone and three helicopters patrolling the skies
They appealed to the public to be the police's 'eyes and ears' to help keep troublemakers at bay.
Snipers were taking to rooftops and undercover officers mingled among the crowds as part of a massive covert and uniformed operation to avoid an atrocity.
Security against potential threats from al Qaeda-inspired extremists, dissident Irish republican terrorists, anarchists and even lone stalkers was balanced with the desire to let onlookers enjoy the day of pageantry.

Around 70 people were banned from the City of Westminster as part of their bail conditions after being arrested or charged over various previous alleged disorder offences.

But despite up to 80 VIPs requiring personal protection, there was no intelligence to suggest that police would need to use anti-terror powers.
In the wake of disturbances at the recent TUC marches and student protests, officers paid close attentions to the movements of anarchist groups.

As part of final preparations for the big day, 20 squatters were also arrested in a string of raids across London yesterday.
Police said the squat arrests were not "specifically related" to the wedding.
But an MP criticised the 'disproportionate pre-emptive strike'.

Huge operation: Map of the Royal wedding route with details of security arrangements for Friday's event


Ring of steel: Armed police officers patrol pass the tents set up outside Westminster Abbey

No holes in the net: the security gate barrier on the pavement near the Westminster Abbey
Fears of any major protests causing disruption near Westminster Abbey have eased with extremist group, Muslims Against Crusades, announcing they no longer plan to attend.
Prince William and his bride-to-be Kate Middleton have expressed their gratitude to police after officers delivered a firm message to potential trouble-makers.

With hundreds of millions watching around the world, tensions ran high, with senior officers keen to avoid another embarrassing episode like the one in which protesters attacked a car carrying the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall last December.

And police took no chances. During the Pope's visit last September, six cleaners were arrested by counter-terrorism officers and later released without charge amid reports that they had been overheard making a joke in a canteen.