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A police officer was stabbed and another was smashed in the head with a bottle last night after a 'water fight' in Hyde Park exploded into violence.

Two members of the public were also knifed during the 'riot', which took place in the famous London park on the hottest day of the year.

This morning, footage emerged appearing to show one of the victims being tackled to the ground and stabbed in the middle of the street.

In the video, posted on Twitter, the man can be seen writhing around on the ground as he is attacked by two thugs - just feet away from a red double decker bus.

Moments later, the attackers run away, leaving him clutching his stomach in pain.

Bystanders watched in horror yesterday as officers were pelted with bottles and other missiles, while youths reportedly chanted: "Black Lives Matter".

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(Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Twitter) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News)

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Watch: Ambulance vehicles break up huge crowds in Hyde Park. Credit: Cameron Hughes.

One person who was shocked by the scenes tweeted: "Can't be throwing bottles at feds in Hyde park and shouting black lives matter :///."

In total, five police officers and three members of the public were injured in the violence, the Metropolitan Police said today.

Thousands of sun-seekers had gathered in the central London park to make the most of the scorching weather on the hottest day of the year.

But at around 3pm, hundreds of people - believed to have been mostly teenagers - started taking part in a spontaneous 'water fight'.

As numbers swelled, police arrived at the park near Buckingham Palace and remained there until night fell and the mood began to turn.

(Image: Hamilton/Vantage News)

(Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News)

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At about 8.40pm, violence exploded near the historic Serpentine lake, with bottles and other items hurled towards the line of officers.

Hundreds of passers-by fled in horror as parts of the park were swamped with cops.

Officers in riot gear carrying plastic shields were drafted in to deal with the situation after one police van appeared to have been forced to speed out of the park.

(Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News)

One video posted on Twitter showed a large police van passing quickly through the crowds with one person saying "...they are throwing bottles at Fed cars ... they are mashing up the Fed cars.”

In the ensuing chaos, two officers were injured - one was stabbed and another was hit on the head with a bottle.

(Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News)

Two members of the public were also knifed in the violence and all four injured people were raced to hospital.

The police officers are in non-life threatening conditions, Scotland Yard said.

The force added that one of the other victims received treatment for non-life threatening injuries, but the condition of the fourth is not known.

Police units moved in to disperse the crowds and the operation lasted into the early hours of this morning.

(Image: Hamilton/Vantage News) (Image: Hamilton/Vantage News)

(Image: VinneoDowd/Twitter)

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Yesterday, number of people took to social media to claim the event was peaceful until police arrived and the mood changed.

The Metropolitan Police issued a statement at 1am, advising Londoners not to call the 101 number due to 'extremely high levels of demand... due to the earlier incident in Hyde Park'.

"We would ask that overnight anyone considering using 101 think carefully as to whether it can wait till the following morning, so that callers can receive the best level of response available," it said.

(Image: PA) (Image: VinneoDowd/Twitter) (Image: PA)

The force later tweeted that a total of eight people - including five officers - were injured in the 'crime and disorder'.

It wrote: "Investigation underway after #HydePark disorder where officers came under attack - 1 suffering stab wounds & 1 with head injury."

Commander Harrington said: "What we saw is crime and disorder, not people out enjoying the sunshine.

"Officers took action to protect the public and themselves. In total, three members of the public and five officers were injured."

A Met Police spokesman said: "Any witnesses or anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call police in Westminster via 101.

"To give information anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or at Crimestoppers-uk.org."

Scotland Yard said the crowds had been dispersed by 2.20am today.