Arrests as more than 150 in Wolverhampton anti-mask protest
A number of people have been arrested after police broke up a gathering of more than 150 anti-mask protesters in Wolverhampton city centre.
The group were chanting "masks off", and "freedom", with some waving placards as they marched through the city.
Officers from West Midlands Police were alerted to the gathering on Saturday and to an unauthorised drone being flown in the area.
The officers spoke to those in attendance and asked them to move on due to not being able to give a reasonable excuse as to why they were breaching national lockdown restrictions.
As a result of a large number deciding not to listen, the officers were forced to enforce the rules and 12 arrests have been made to date, with those arrested taken into police custody.
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Superintendent Nick Rowe, the Silver Commander, said the rules had been enforced as a result of people not engaging with their instructions.
He said: "We always seek to speak with the people who are suspected of being in breach of the regulations.
"But, when people are not working with us or listening to our instructions, then we must enforce the rules and arrest people where appropriate.
"We need to keep our communities safe and although the group have mostly now dispersed, we will continue to monitor the area."
West Midland Police have offered a reminder to members of the public of the current Government lockdown restrictions which are in force throughout England.
These can be found at gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november
