Riot police arrested 17 year old Matthew MacDonald at the height of Monday's protest near Trafalgar Square.
Rioters destroyed a branch of McDonalds and desecrated Sir Winston Churchill's statue and the Cenotaph war memorial with slogans.
His parents, university professor Theodore MacDonald and wife Christine, drove into London after hearing of Matthew's arrest.
Scotland Yard confirmed that a 17-year-old boy had been arrested in connection with violent disorder offences at the May Day riots. He has been bailed to appear at Bethnal Green police station on June 16.
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