Protester rescued by Black Lives Matter hero ‘is Millwall FC fan with club tattoo on leg’

Lions supporter Bryn Male, 55, would like to thank Patrick Hutchinson for carrying him to safety during violent protests in London

Protester Patrick Hutchinson carries an injured counter-protester to safety during Black Lives Matter demonstrations in central London, 13 June 2020. (Dylan Martinez/Reuters)

The injured demonstrator rescued by a Black Lives Matter hero as London protests turned violent has been revealed as a Millwall fanatic with a club tattoo on his leg.

Personal trainer Patrick Hutchinson won national praise after photos of him slinging a white man over his shoulder and carrying him to safety went viral on Saturday.

The rescued man, pictured clutching his bloodied head, has reportedly been identified as Bryn Male, 55, a delivery driver and Millwall FC fan from Basingstoke, in Hampshire.

Mr Male, who has a Lions tattoo on his calf, allegedly travelled about 50 miles to protect the capital’s historic statues but ended up with a black eye instead.

He now wants to thank Mr Hutchinson for coming to his rescue, according to his son Harry, 21.

Asked if his father would like to thank Mr Hutchinson, he told The Sun. : “He probably would. Who wouldn’t?”

A source allegedly told the newspaper they weren’t surprised to see Mr Male on the news as he would “always go up on the train for protest marches in London”.

The newspaper also quoted the source as saying the Lions supporter should “grow up and act his age” and shouldn’t be getting involved “in stuff like this”.

It is thought Mr Male was attacked near the Southbank Centre after becoming separated from friends during Saturday’s protests.

The demonstrations turned violent after far-right supporters, who said they had turned up to protect London’s monuments from anti-racism protesters, attacked police, hurling missiles and fireworks at officers.

They had taken to the streets in response to recent Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, US.

Grandfather and personal trainer Mr Hutchinson said he attended the event with his friends, a group of security and martial arts experts, to protect anti-racist activists on a march through the capital.

Mr Hutchinson told ITV News he “didn’t even think twice” about rescuing Mr Male and that he “didn’t see colour...just a human being on the floor possibly coming to his end”.