Black Lives Matter Protesters halt traffic near Birmingham Airport

Traffic around Birmingham airport was halted by demonstrators belonging to the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement this morning.

The A45 Coventry Road was blocked by the protest and motorists struggled to reach Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre at about 7am.

A number of people were reported to be lying in the road and drivers were advised to avoid the area while police negotiated for the group to leave the carriageway.

It was finally cleared at about 9am and traffic was able to flow freely again.

Five people were arrested for obstructing the highway.

The M4 close to Heathrow Airport and a tram system in Nottingham was also blocked by a nationwide ‘Black Lives Matter’ campaign.

Protestors unfurled a banner across the approach road to the London airport’s terminals one, two and three during rush-hour on Friday.

Black Lives Matter called the protest a nationwide shutdown. A previous demonstration took place two weeks ago in Birmingham city centre.

The movement has spread to the UK from the US following the killing of a number of black Americans by US police.