The Purge pranksters slammed for playing air raid siren in Wolverhampton
A mysterious air raid siren heard in Wolverhampton city centre is believed to have been played by pranksters mimicking The Purge.
In the fictional horror film, all crime in America is legalised for 12 hours on the night of March 21. This period begins by the sounding of air raid sirens.
The air raid siren played in Wolverhampton happened on Friday, March 20, and it is thought this siren was played by someone driving round in a car.
The Express & Star approached Wolverhampton Council about the siren to see if it was linked to the outbreak of coronavirus. But it is understood the incident was just a member of public playing a prank.
A spokesman for Wolverhampton Council said: "The council was informed of reports of what sounded like an air raid siren last Friday, 20 March, in Wolverhampton city centre.
"We would like to reassure everyone that the siren sound was being played from a car stereo system and was therefore nothing to concerned about."
But the pranksters have been slammed by politicians for being irresponsible in a climate of heightened worry.
Wolverhampton Council leader Ian Brookfield said: "I can't believe they would do this. Listen, there are idiots in any climate. There will always be idiots.
"But it is irresponsible to do it when people have genuine worries. Unfortunately it is difficult to stop certain people from being certain idiots. I am just grateful that the overwhelming majority of people are far cleverer and have more sympathy than one or two stupid individuals."
Wolverhampton South West MP Stuart Anderson added: "People around the country are upset and scared. We are doing everything we can, the Government, to put the right measures in place.
"The last thing we need is people acting inresponsibly and creating fear."
Mr Anderson believes the matter should be looked into by police.
West Midlands Police declined to comment. A spokesman said the force echoes that this was an irresponsible things to do.
Air raid sirens are being used abroad to alert citizens about lockdowns over coronavirus.
In Jordan, in the Middle East, sirens were heard in its capital, Amman, last week to mark the start of a three-day lockdown.
