PROTESTERS were injured by police officers yesterday after they gathered outside a hotel in Reading to demonstrate against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Britain.

Mr Erdogan was at the hotel as part of a state visit to attend an annual event established supposedly to “strengthen” relationships between the two nations.

Demonstrators stopped the convoy he was believed to be entering the hotel with and threw stones at the cars.

They chanted slogans such as “terrorist Erdogan” throughout.

The protest saw a heavy police presence attempt to block off the demonstrators, many of whom were attacked with batons and mounted police.

Ambulances were called for some protesters who were injured by the attacks.

Mr Erdogan will meet Prime Minister Theresa May tomorrow.

Kurdistan Solidarity Campaign’s Rosa Gilbert said: “It is outrageous that Theresa May is wining and dining the butcher of Ankara at an event sponsored by BAE systems in Reading.

“Nothing displays more the corrupt arms sales-driven foreign policy priority of this government.

“Despite the short notice, Kurds have turned out to oppose the presence of Erdogan in their town.

“A disturbingly large number of Thames Valley police have descended as an attempt to intimidate the anti-Erdogan protesters.

“It shows that we must have as many people as possible out on the streets on Tuesday to protest Erdogan’s reception at Downing Street, to show the government that the British people won’t stand for their murderous foreign policies and dirty deals.”

Mr Erdogan and his government have been under fire by campaigners and human rights activists for his mistreatment of Kurds and other marginalised groups in Turkey along with restrictions on freedom of expression in media and of opposition party members.

Most recently, Turkey used illegal cluster bombs in attacks on Kurdish forces near Iraq’s Qandil mountains, as part of its offensive against the PKK.

The heavy bombardment resulted in many civilian casualties.

Anti-Erdogan demonstrators from different organisations will be gathering outside Downing Street tomorrow at 10am.