A police officer has been accused of admitting to "two tier policing" following scenes of a mob in Birmingham.
West Midlands Police said the level of policing during "sporadic incidents" of disorder on Monday night had been commensurate with intelligence assessments made before hundreds of people gathered in the Bordesley Green area in Birmingham.
A large crowd congregated after rumours had spread on social media about a potential far-right protest, which did not take place.
Now, Superintendent Emlyn Richards has been slammed on social media after he was accused of being "complicit" in letting the incident spin out of control.
West Midlands Police have been criticised for their response to the incident
Sky News/PA
WATCH: Charlie Peters speaks to Linda from The Clumsy Swan pub
Asked why the police had such little presence at the disorder in East Birmingham, he said: "We have really strong business and community relations and because we were aware through intelligence that there was a potential protest because of misinformation we had the opportunity to meet with community leaders, business leaders, prior to that event to understand the style of policing we needed to deliver.
"We knew there was going to be a large amount of people out on that counter protest and we knew who the vast majority of those people were. We had conversations what that was likely to look like."
When asked if he would do the same if it was an "EDL-type" situation , he said: "We policed in response to the intelligence that we receive at that moment in time.
"The vast majority of people who attended that protest yesterday did so law-abidingly, and did so with the right intentions. There were just a small minority of people that attended there and were intent on causing either criminality, disorder or fear within our communities."
LATEST ON THE RIOTS
Boston and Skegness MP Richard Tice
PAReform UK deputy leader Richard Tice responded saying it was evidence of 'two tier policing.' The MP for Boston and Skegness said: “Police boss admitting they enabled and were complicit in letting marauding masked mob control Birmingham streets. Utterly shameful. Two tier politics. Two tier policing. Two tier Keir.”
Fellow Reform MP for Great Yarmouth Rupert Lowe said: “A remarkable interview on the Birmingham violent mob rampage. ‘Policed within themselves’. Why is one group seemingly policed in an incredibly different way to others? It clearly does NOT work. Two-tier policing is rife. That MUST urgently change."
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowleycondemned the claims of two tier policing across the country. He said: "It's complete nonsense. We operate independently under the law without fear or favour.
"They are putting them at risk by suggesting that any of those officers are going out with, as with any intent, other than to operate without fear or favour in protecting communities."
Damage to The Clumsy Swan Pub
PA
A spokesperson from West Midlands Police told GB News: "Crime is Crime, regardless of colour or creed. We are here to protect the public and keep the peace, not police political views.
"Our priority is always to keep people safe and in every decision around policing public order and protests we must balance the right to freedom of expression with the right to tackle crime so we can ensure public safety. Policing is not anti-protest, but we are anti-crime.
"Decisions about how to police protests require consideration of complex and often competing rights and issues. Difficult decisions are finely tuned but and made by experienced and well-trained officers.
"Officers work within a legal framework that has Human Rights as the overarching guide. They must act proportionately and impartially in upholding the law. "
