I made a formal police complaint after the G8 protests about police not displaying their numbers nor giving me their number on request.

I was told that this was a screw-up on the part of the police - all uniformed police should display their numbers at all times, this had only occurred because police in riot uniform who display their numbers on their helmets had taken them off There is no legal obligation in England (unlike Scotland) for police to display numbers, and as it was English police they had got confused over scottish regulations. Nonetheless it was still best practice for English police to display numbers. When asked directly for their number a police officer should always give it. To not give it was a disciplinary offence, however as I couldnt identify the officer (as he didnt give me his number) he couldnt be disciplined.

I would suggest that you make a formal police complaint about police not displaying numbers, at the very least it makes for more paperwork for them.

During the Miner's Strike there were thousands of RAF and Army personnel dressed as police with no numbers. They behaved as immature thugs.
Many of us have seen this before. The Police statement is absolute poppycock.
Most probably those thugs were not police officers.