▁completely ▁lost ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁Lew ish am ▁( l ater ▁dub bed ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁Lew ish am ▁C lock - T ower ). ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁an ▁apparent ▁break - down ▁in ▁the ▁police ▁chain ▁of ▁command , ▁with ▁officers ▁driving ▁vehicles ▁at ▁high ▁speed ▁up ▁and ▁down ▁the ▁Lew ish am ▁High ▁Street ▁under ▁a ▁ha il ▁of ▁br icks ▁and ▁bott les , ▁until ▁one ▁crash ed ▁into ▁a ▁railway ▁bridge ▁and ▁the ▁police ▁charged ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁three ▁occup ants ▁from ▁being ▁attacked ▁by ▁the ▁demonstr ators . ▁There ▁was ▁also ▁some ▁minor ▁lo oting ▁of ▁sh ops ▁and ▁a ▁vehicle ▁was ▁set ▁on ▁fire ▁before ▁police ▁restored ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁area . ▁▁ 1 1 1 ▁people ▁in ▁the ▁march ▁were ▁injured ▁and ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 1 4 ▁people ▁were ▁arrested ▁during ▁the ▁cl ash es . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁▁ ▁According ▁to ▁Joseph ▁Pear ce , ▁far - left ▁activ ists ▁were ▁responsible ▁for ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁violence ▁at ▁N F ▁r al lies , ▁but ▁the ▁f ights ▁drove ▁out ▁moder ates . ▁He ▁described ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Lew ish am ▁as ▁a ▁" w aters hed ": ▁" P rior ▁to ▁that , ▁the ▁march es ▁were ▁mainly ▁ ▁middle - aged , ▁middle - class ▁people . ▁There ▁were ▁squad ron ▁leaders , ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁veter ans . ▁And ▁then ▁with ▁the ▁increase ▁of ▁violence ▁and ▁the ▁media ▁interest ▁before ▁Lew ish am ▁a ▁lot ▁of