Four teenage boys have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder after trouble erupted in Birmingham
Trouble erupted in the Dale End area of Birmingham city centre on Bonfire Night for four teens arrested for violent disorder(Image: Nick Horner)
Four teenagers were arrested in Birmingham city centre as police were pelted with fireworks and weapons seized during a Bonfire Night of violence.
Videos posted online showed groups gathered in the city centre, running down streets, letting off fireworks and being confronted by police.
It happened in the Dale End of the city, with West Midlands Police saying officers and members of the public were arrested.
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Police were given extra section 60 stop-and-search powers until 6am today, Friday, November 6, ahead of the anticipated trouble.
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The force said: “We have made arrests and seized weapons in response to disorder in Birmingham which included our officers being attacked with fireworks.
“Disorder involving young people saw fireworks released in a dangerous manner, as members of the public and our officers were attacked.
“Four teenage boys were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. They have been since been taken into custody as we continue with our enquiries.
“The arrests were made in the Dale End area of the city on Wednesday evening.
“A Section 60 is in place until 6am on Thursday (November 6) allowing us to stop and search people without the need to have reasonable grounds.
“This power is exercised to safeguard the community from this dangerous behaviour.”
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Insp Matthew Minton said: “We made four arrests this evening as violent disorder broke out where members of the public and our officers were attacked with fireworks.
“Fortunately, no-one has been seriously hurt. We also seized weapons and fireworks as we deployed our Section 60 powers to stop and search.
“We had robust plans in place tonight to respond to any Bonfire Night disorder. Behaviour like what we have seen this evening simply won’t be tolerated.”
Witnesses or anyone with any information about the disorder this evening should call us on 101 quoting log 4026 of 5 November. You can also speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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The trouble came a day before West Midlands Police was due to conduct one of its biggest policing operations with 700 officers due to be in and around Villa Park ahead of the Aston Villa v Maccabi Tel Aviv Europa League tie.
Again section 60 powers, allowing police to stop-and-search people, will be in place across a huge swathe of the city, including Aston, from noon on Thursday, until 3am tomorrow, Friday, November 7.
Five protests are expected to take place with three pro-Palestinian and two pro-Israeli.