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Teenager arrested after alleged attack video goes viral

A 16-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of robbery. Credit: PA

Police have arrested a teenager after a video of an alleged attack on two schoolgirls in Birmingham went viral online and was viewed millions of times.

It's believed the film shows the two schoolgirls being targeted in the Northfield area of the city, on Saturday night in Sir Herbert Austin Way.

A 16-year-old attended a Birmingham police station and was arrested on suspicion of robbery and is currently in custody.

Police have now asked anyone who has shared the video online to remove it, for fear it could prejudice any future legal proceedings.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said:

This was an upsetting incident for the two girls involved and out of respect to them we would ask anyone who has shared the video remove it from their profiles.

Detectives have already spoken to two others of the group involved – including a young man who filmed the incident – and plans are in place to arrest another girl involved.

The response from members of the public, clearly disgusted by what they’ve seen online, has been overwhelming and we’ve had lots of people getting in touch to provide names of those responsible.

This has led us to making an arrest this afternoon. I would like to reassure everyone this is being treated very seriously and that the enquiry is progressing quickly.

– West Midlands Police