Police pelted with bottles as they raid illegal nightclub with 150 people in Birmingham
16 February 2021, 07:39 | Updated: 16 February 2021, 07:42
West Midlands Police break up illegal nightclub
Police officers were pelted with bottles as they raided an illegal nightclub which had a DJ and VIP area in Birmingham.
One officer suffered a minor injury as a door was smashed open by people trying to flee as police arrived on Saturday night.
Bodycam footage shows officers forcing their way into the venue and running upstairs shouting “nobody move” and “stay where you are”.
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They found 150 people packed into the building across two floors.
They are seen passing a neon sign reading “VIP” and can be heard shouting “missiles” as bottles are thrown.
A thermal imaging camera shows revellers scrambling away from the scene over rooftops.
About 70 people were fined more than £200 for breaking coronavirus rules while about 50 are believed to have made off when police arrived.
The DJ could also face a £10,000 fine.
As well as the bar, with neon signs and a dance room, officers came across a recording studio and gym.
West Midlands Police said they had earlier received information that part of a building on Buckingham Street had been turned into a bar, and officers forced their way in after witnessing a number of taxis drop people off at the venue.
Assistant chief constable Chris Todd said: "Our officers continue to work long and hard to protect the public and reduce the spread of this deadly virus by breaking up these gatherings, often in really difficult circumstances.
"It's unacceptable that our officers came under attack, and that one suffered a minor injury, just for doing their job and enforcing laws that are in place to keep us all safe.
"While there's much to be hopeful of in terms of the rollout of coronavirus vaccines, people must remember that we are still in lockdown and the virus is still a real threat to communities across the West Midlands."
The same night, police discovered a garage workshop in Dudley Port had been turned into a bar, which had a sign on the wall reading The Covid Arms.
A dozen people in the makeshift bar were allowed to leave, however the owner was fined £1,000.
