Armed police swoop on youths fighting near the Bullring in Birmingham

West Midlands Police has arrested three people following reports of weapons being brandished during disorder in Birmingham city centre.

Officers were alerted to a group of youths fighting near to the Bullring on Central Street at around 6.30pm on Wednesday (September 27).

Thanks to CCTV operators, the dog unit, firearms officers and the local policing team three suspects were promptly traced and arrested while trying to board a bus. Two men aged 18 and 20 and a 16-year-old teenager were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder. They were later released while police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Separately, officers yesterday (Thursday, September 28) also charged two men, aged 22 and 37, with robbery after they were called to Upper Dean Street, Birmingham at around 4am on Wednesday.

Chief Inspector Mark Lacey, from Birmingham police, said: “We will not tolerate violence within our city. We have daily operations in place to ensure that people can work and visit the second city safely.

“During the day we have officers who patrol the city when commuters come in to work and later in the day they are placed in strategic areas for when we see schools finish for the day and an influx of young people visit the city.

“We conduct operations where we place knife arches in strategic locations to detect anyone who is carrying a weapon or knife. We also have plans in place for our night time economy and pride ourselves on our partnership working within the city.

“There is no place for violence and we will continue to deal with people who think they have the right to bring weapons and cause problems.”