Teenager arrested and disposal order in place after 'fireworks thrown' in city centre
A teenager has been arrested and a dispersal order is in place after incidents of alleged antisocial behaviour in a city centre.
The West Midlands Police dispersal order was put in place for Dale End in Birmingham, following reports of antisocial behaviour.
The dispersal comes after shoppers in Birmingham City Centre witnessed youths throwing fireworks onto the high street and into crowds at around 6.30pm on Tuesday, with the explosions rocking the city centre.
West Midlands Police said the dispersal order was put in place for the Dale End area following evidence that showed young people from the area travelling into the city after school to cause trouble.
Tracey Yaris, 26, of Wolverhampton, said: "They were really loud, it looked like they were just throwing these fireworks all over the place trying to scare people. One of them was pretty much at a person's legs.
"It was scary, most people were jumping when they went off. Imagine if it was an older person, it would be terrifying."
A 16-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of possession of fireworks and fireworks were also recovered.
Inspector Christian Harrison from Birmingham Police said: “The dispersal order sends a clear message that Dale End is a no-go area for anyone wanting to cause issues in the city.
"A number of people were spoken to yesterday and we will be contacting parents and guardians to inform them of this behaviour and make it clear that it will not be tolerated in the city.
"Anyone who comes into the city centre with the intention of getting involved in trouble can expect to be swiftly dealt with by officers.
"Working with our partners, we are committed to addressing anti-social behaviour and we want people to feel safe when visiting the city.
"As well as a dispersal order being in place, patrols around Dale End have been stepped up to offer reassurance to visitors and commuters."
The dispersal order in the area will run until 10pm. The troubles come as the city's traditional Christmas Market enters full swing, with hundreds of shoppers and revellers travelling to the city to take part in the festivities.
