Ten people arrested after protests in Stoke-on-Trent turn violent

Ten people have been arrested after protests in Stoke-on-Trent turned violent.

The protests and counter-protests in Hanley involved hundreds of people and were followed by outbreaks of violence with missiles thrown in clashes on Saturday (August 3rd) afternoon.

Two men were injured after blunt objects were thrown. The men were taken to hospital although their injuries are not thought to be serious.

Staffordshire Police say they're continuing to dispel false claims that two men were stabbed during the protest following a number of videos that have been shared on social media sites.

The video, which shows a man being treated for a head injury, fuelled the speculation.

They said they would like to reiterate that two men involved in the incident were hit with a blunt object that was thrown in the air. No stabbings have been reported to police.

Ten people were arrested and remain in custody for questioning.

Three police officers were assaulted but only received minor injuries.

An order's been issued allowing police to disperse people who may return to the area.

Staffordshire Police, Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison said: “Officers worked proactively and cohesively today to protect the public and tackle those intent on disorder.

“I can assure local communities that a large police presence will remain in the area tonight as we continue to speak to people about their concerns and reassure those affected.

“Violent disorder of any form is completely unacceptable and those who are responsible will be met with the full force of the law.

“As we’ve seen today, it’s also vital that we work together to act against misinformation online. It can spread rapidly and paint a false picture, which can be incredibly damaging. Please consider what source the information has come from and whether it has been confirmed by accredited organisations.

“The safety of the public is our number one priority. We can assure communities in Staffordshire that we will continue to monitor intelligence and deploy specialist teams proactively to keep people safe and prevent crime.”