More than 20 police officers were injured in violent clashes in Brixton Wednesday night (June 24-25), where a riot broke out during a policing operation.

The violence confrontations happened near the Angell Town estate in Brixton, with dozens of police sustaining injuries and Met vehicles sustaining damage also.

Police said they were called to reports of a "large unlicensed music event" in Overton Road and that officers had "encouraged the crowd to leave" when the scene became more confrontational and violent.

"The event continued and more officers attended the scene and the group became hostile towards officers," the Met said in a statement released after the event.

"A Dispersal Zone was authorised under S35 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 to encourage crowds to leave.

"In total, 22 officers were injured, none seriously although two did require hospital treatment," they added.

Footage on social media showed police vehicles being smashed and officers pelted with bottles and chased during clashes with a large crowd.

Home Secretary Priti Patel described the event as "utterly vile" and said she planned to speak to the Met Police Chief Cressida Dick.

One witness, who did not want to be named, told the PA news agency: "After the police backed up, the group of people then forced the police out of the estate, throwing things at the police, smashed up a police car that they abandoned and then it moved more towards the main road."

Bus driver Michael, who did not wish to share his second name, lives in Overton Road and said it was "very upsetting" that the violence happened in his area.

"The whole thing should have been shut down earlier," he said.

"People who live here are not the culprits, it's those damn fools from different areas that come down to tarnish the works and efforts that have been put into the area by the estate management."