A police commander has accepted that his force was too slow to correct a false claim that two officers had suffered broken bones during clashes with “kill the bill” protesters in Bristol. Supt Mark Runacres, the Bristol area commander, also said he regretted that demonstrators had been injured during a subsequent night of violence when police with riot shields, dogs and horses dispersed them. Speaking to the Guardian before a planned fifth protest in the city on Saturday, which may turn into a focal point for a national day of action, Runacres said Avon and Somerset police were committed to working with the organisers to facilitate a peaceful event. After the first protest against the government’s police, crime, sentencing and courts bill on 21 March outside Bridewell police station in the city centre, the force said 40 officers had been injured including two who suffered broken bones. Three days later it said that no bones had been broken, but it stands by the number of injuries sustained. Runacres said it was “hugely regrettable” that wrong information was initially given. but that it had been an honest mistake. “The clarification came later than we could have done. We could have been on to that quicker. I understand the issue that has created around mistrust for some,” he said. Runacres also said there had been no need to fabricate injuries given the vivid images of the violence, which included video footage of a person apparently placing a lit item under a police van with an officer inside. “It’s very unfortunate that misinformation was provided. It was not done to intentionally mislead people,” he said. He admitted the violence had taken police by surprise. “It was a real shock to the city,” he said. On 26 March, protesters suffered head injuries and dog bites as officers in riot gear dispersed a crowd that had gathered in front of Bridewell police station. Asked if he regretted the tactics, Runacres replied: “I regret that people have been hurt. I would always regret that.” He said the tactics had been drawn up in the light of the previous Sunday’s violence. “We had a responsibility to stop that happening again,” he said. There had been a “small number” of complaints about the operation, he said. “If people have specific complaints they will be reviewed, assessed and investigated as necessary.” If officers’ behaviour fell below the standard Avon and Somerset police expected, they would be dealt with in a “proportionate way”, he added. “Any exercise of the use of force needs to be justified by the officers concerned.” Runacres accepted that the tactics had caused “great alarm”, but said: “When you’re deploying resources to achieve the objective set to those officers in terms of clearing that street, having given warnings for people to disperse, then that’s how it’s done in public order policing – a formation of shields moving up supported by horses and dogs. “At that point the opportunity to negotiate and discuss with individuals has passed and if an officer does stop to engage in a conversation to understand why someone might be there, they are not doing what they have been asked to do. They are creating an additional risk for the unit, they are not working in coordination with their colleagues. That does not justify any individual officer using force excessively.” Another demonstration on Tuesday passed off peacefully after police decided not to surround Bridewell police station with officers. Runacres said: “We took a calculated risk with that approach. If the police station had been targeted again, we would have been castigated by many. We felt that was the right thing to do. There was some nervousness about that.” He said the plan was to take the same approach on Saturday. “What we don’t want to get into is a situation where we have to protect Bridewell police station every time there is a protest. That is unmanageable for us, unsustainable. It’s also not reflective of the city.”