West Midlands Police 'stepping up' protection of communities amid Hamas-Israel conflict

The police force says additional officers are being deployed to key locations "to prevent crime, ensure an efficient response to reported incidents, and to reassure those who live, work, or study nearby".

Furthermore, the force says it is working with partners to listen to local concerns and assess the impact on communities, to ensure those who live and work within them feel safe.

West Midlands Police is also warning protestors that criminal behaviour will be not be tolerated.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Bell said: "We know this is a worrying time for some of our communities and our thoughts are with those who are affected.

"We are doing everything we can to keep people safe and ensure they feel reassured by our presence.

"Our local policing teams are monitoring the situation in communities across the region and additional officers are already patrolling key locations to prevent crime and respond to incidents.

"Anyone who has concerns or who experiences threatening behaviour or is worried about their safety can approach our officers directly or get in touch with us via our normal reporting channels."

A spokesperson for the force added: "We are aware that the ongoing conflict may lead to further protests over the coming days.

"We will ensure that an appropriate policing plan is in place in order to balance the right to protest against any disruption to communities.

"Behaviour that crosses the line into criminality will not be tolerated and equally we will take the strongest action against perpetrators of hate crime because we know that it has a devasting impact on individual victims and targeted communities.

"You can call us on 101 to report a crime. Always call 999 in an emergency. You can also report crime anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."