Black Lives Matter Protests across the Midlands

The National Police Chiefs' Council say they are committed to reducing the number of deaths in police custody.

The statement comes on the same day campaigners affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement brought traffic to a standstill at a number of locations across the Midlands in protest against racist violence in the UK.

The body, which represents chief police officers across the country, called any death in police custody a 'tragedy' and say they are committed to building trust with all communities in a series of tweets on social media.

West Midlands Police say four women and one man have been arrested on suspicion of obstructing the highway and failing to comply with section 14 of the public order Act on the A45 in Solihull.

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of causing the wilful obstruction of a highway following a protest in Nottingham city centre.

Police were called to the junction of Parliament Street and Goldsmith Street at about 8am to a report of four people blocking the tram line. Three women aged 30, 48 and 50 and a man, aged 30 were all arrested at the scene.

The group has been staging a "shutdown" of roads in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham to "mourn those who have died in custody and to protest the ongoing racist violence of the police, border enforcement, structural inequalities and the everyday indignity of street racism".

Black Lives Matter has been staging protests across the UK today, including in Birmingham and Nottingham.

The group has released this video explaining what the demonstrations are about.

The day of action comes just a day after the anniversary of the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan. The 29 year old was shot by police attempting to arrest him in Tottenham, north London, in August 2011. The shooting sparked nationwide riots.

Rachel Bulmer filmed this footage of Black Lives Matter protesters being dragged out of the road by officers after they blocked a main road near Birmingham airport.

Birmingham Police pulled protesters from the road in a bid to help get traffic moving, as they responded to one of several staged protests in the UK.

(Credit: Rachel Bulmer)

Protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement temporarily blocked an ambulance trying to attend an emergency in Birmingham.

The ambulance can be seen being blocked by the traffic on the road, with its sirens and lights on.

The car at the front then moves to the side to make way, and protesters move out of the middle of the road, before returning to chant.

Police have put screens up around Black Lives Matter protesters who have been lying on tram tracks in Nottingham.

Black Lives Matter UK are staging what it calls a "shutdown" of roads in Birmingham, Nottingham, Manchester and London, to "mourn those who have died in custody and to protest the ongoing racist violence of the police, border enforcement, structural inequalities and the everyday indignity of street racism".

The campaign group said it wanted to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Mark Duggan's death.

Nottinghamshire Police have put up screens around a group of Black Lives Matter activists who are lying on tram lines in the centre of Nottingham.

The Metropolitan Police, dealing with Black Lives Matter protests near Heathrow in London, have also erected white screens around the activists.

Police in Nottingham have said they are aware of travel disruption in the city, as Black Lives Matter activists laid across tram tracks in the city centre.

Nottinghamshire Police said that officers were at the scene negotiating with a small number of protesters.

Police have arrived at the scene of a protest on the tracks of the Nottingham Tram. People have been lying on the tracks outside the Royal Centre Tram stop.

Trams have not been able to run between Royal Centre and Market Square.

There are reports the protest could be linked to the Black Lives Matter movement.