Counter-protester describes 'palpable tension' before violent disorder in Tamworth

Stewart Russell said protesters "were not afraid of police." Credit: ITV News Central

A counter-protester has described the "palpable tension" in Tamworth at the weekend as a violent disorder broke out at a Holiday Inn.

Stewart Russell was part of a group that came to demonstrate against what Staffordshire Police has since described as "senseless violence and acts of despicable thuggery" on Sunday night.

Police say a crowd of hundreds of protesters gathered and starting attacking the hotel, with responding officers faced with being attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks.

Stewart said: "We started to feel the tension was palpable, we started to feel unnerved. There was a guy with a speaker winding people up, he was encouraging [the protesters].

"They were not afraid of police"

"The atmosphere started to shift, people started to move forwards towards the police, the police formed a line but there was so many of them we started to feel like something was going to happen.

"They were emboldened, they were not afraid of police, not in any way shape or form.

Protesters broke windows at the Holiday Inn and used petrol bombs to start a fire. Credit: ITV News Central

"They started to throw rocks, fire fireworks and flares at us, and one of them hit one of the people in our group, but luckily she was okay.

"Eventually we realised it was getting worse, and these people weren't going to be appeased."

Stewart's group then decided to leave via a back route. He said they left uninjured but "traumatised."

Petrol bombs and fireworks were thrown and windows smashed at a Tamworth Holiday Inn Credit: ITV News Central

Staffordshire Police have launched an investigation after an officer was injured during the protest. The force said officers were attacked with petrol bombs and fireworks.

In a statement, Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Ellison said: "The senseless violence and acts of despicable thuggery in Tamworth tonight are completely inexcusable.

"The local community do not deserve to be subject to this behaviour, and neither do the brave officers putting themselves in harm’s way to keep everyone safe.

"I want to echo the messaging that police forces have been championing nationally following the events across the country this week: we will be using footage from CCTV, air support and our officers’ body-worn video devices to identify those responsible and seek the toughest possible punishment for these acts of senseless violence."

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