West Midlands Police Police under fire for ‘complete mess’ after Violent riots in Birmingham

Sep 6 2009 by Paul Bradley, Sunday Mercury

WEST Midlands police were last night accused of “extremely bad planning” and failing to protect innocent members of the public.

The English Defence League were supposed to meet at Lancaster Circus at 3.30pm for an organised demonstration – but first gathered in the Figure of Eight pub on Broad Street where they began drinking.

Despite a huge police presence, the boozed-up group was allowed to make its way into the city centre where they were involved in violent clashes.

Khalid Mahmood, MP for Perry Barr, said: “West Midlands Police have had four weeks to plan for this but they have failed innocent members of the public in Birmingham city centre.

“Hundreds of shoppers had to flee from the streets.

“Why were these people allowed to get drunk before the protest?

“Why weren’t they escorted by police away from the city centre?

“Why did police decide to hold the EDL in a pub for an hour where they could fuel themselves on booze?

“And why did they not seal off a huge skip of bricks, which any idiot could have identified as a source of weapons?

“It has been a complete mess in terms of policing. The force needs to look at things at the highest level.