UK police charge son of Pink Floyd star over riot

British police on Thursday charged the stepson of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour for his role in a riot last month where he was photographed swinging from a flag on London's war memorial.

Charlie Gilmour, 21, was pictured dangling from the national Union Flag on the Cenotaph memorial during protests against a rise in university tuition fees. He later apologised, saying he was ashamed.

Detectives from London's Metropolitan police said in a statement they had charged Gilmour with "violent disorder and theft of a mannequin leg".

He is due to appear at Westminister Magistrate's Court on February 10.

Scores of demonstators who took part in violent protests against increased tuition fees in central London in November and December of last year have been tracked down by police and charged or cautioned for a range of offences.