Babak Belurs

Minggu, 06 September 2020

Birmingham stabbings: 'I saw him stab a woman in the neck and a man covered in blood,' says eyewitness - Sky News

A man who witnessed one of several stabbings in the space of two hours in Birmingham has said he saw the attacker stab a woman "several times" in the neck - and a male victim "covered in blood".

A murder investigation has been launched after one man died and seven other people were injured, two seriously, following the "random" series of attacks in the city centre overnight.

Police are hunting for an unknown male suspect.

Bar owner Savvas Sfrantziz told Sky News he saw the man, who he described as "a black guy between 20 and 25, wearing a black hoodie with two white stripes on the front, black trousers and a black cap".

Mr Sfrantziz said: "I saw him stabbing the girl several times in the neck. I was only about 20 yards away.

"She started screaming: 'He's stabbing me.' But everybody thought he was robbing her because she had a necklace.

"But I saw it and I started screaming."

Birmingham stabbing — Scene of stabbings incident in Birmingham

The suspect, he said, "wasn't panicking" after stabbing the woman and was "just walking" away.

Mr Sfrantziz, who owns the Mykonos bar on Hurst Street, where the last of four attacks identified by police took place, said he couldn't go near because "I saw the knife".

The suspect was chased away by two other men, he added.

Police were called, he said, but most people "thought it was just a robbery".

"Then I screamed that a girl was stabbed," he added.

POLICE PRESSER — Manhunt after 'linked series' of stabbings

The attacks took place across several streets between 12.30am and 2.30am on Sunday, according to West Midlands Police, and Mr Sfrantziz said there were still plenty of people in the area.

He said: "It was a busy time and people started panicking when they saw the girl on the floor - and there was another guy further up in the middle of the road.

"You could see blood all over the English guy. The girl was unconscious - but the guy was screaming 'he stabbed me' and swearing at his attacker. It happened within seconds."

Asked if it looked like the woman knew the man who attacker her, he replied: "No, definitely not."

Mr Sfrantziz said "it looked very random, the way he did it, because it happened within seconds".

"He didn't argue with her much," he added.

As he made stabbing gestures to his throat, Mr Sfrantziz said: "He just went up to her and just stabbed her. I've never seen anything like it."

Another witness, Barbora Jurcikova, said she was chatting to friends on her phone when she heard screams for help.

She went out into Irving Street and saw one of the victims.

He had "no colour to his face" and "looked like he was dying", she said.

Ms Jurcikova said the victim had been pulled out of a bush, and paramedics were "pressing his chest for a long time".

She did not see the attacker.

That assault was reported to the authorities at 1.52am.

Later, two forensic tents were put up nearby, close to the gates of a primary school.

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2020-09-06 13:46:21Z
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Hertfordshire Police slammed for 'facilitating' attack on press after newspaper printer blockade - Daily Mail

Hertfordshire Police are slammed for 'facilitating' attack on press freedom after sending just SIX officers to remove over 100 anarchists from blockading newspaper printers - taking 12 HOURS to get chaos under control

The police have been criticised for their response to Friday's XR printing action
It follows over 100 demonstrators blocking roads outside Newsprinters works
PM deemed the stunt as 'completely unacceptable', saying a 'free press is vital'

By Danyal Hussain For Mailonline

Published: 12:56 BST, 6 September 2020 | Updated: 14:25 BST, 6 September 2020

Hertfordshire Police have come under fire for failing to stop the Extinction Rebellion blockade of newspaper printing presses on Friday.

The XR action saw protesters targeting Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool, blocking the day's newspapers from leaving the depots.

The action began at around 10pm on Friday night with the protesters not being cleared until 10am the following day, leading to hundreds of Britons being unable to read their newspaper on Saturday morning.

Now, the police response has been condemned with accusations that Hertfordshire Police 'facilitated' the attack.

It comes after it emerged that XR's intention to target newspaper printworks was reported nine months ago, along with claims that police only sent six officers to the Broxbourne plant after the alarm was raised on Friday night.

Hertfordshire Constabulary said in a statement: 'The rights to protest are well established in this country and we remain committed to facilitating peaceful protest and ensuring compliance with the law.'

However, the stance was criticised by several high-profile figures.

David Blunkett, the former Labour home secretary, said: 'I think they're mixing up historic debate about [union] picketing with protests relating to political issues, which can be dealt with through the normal democratic process.'

Richard Walton, former head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and now senior fellow at Policy Exchange, said Friday's protest showed how the group had shifted from mere protesters into organising 'planned criminality, and should be treated as such'.

'Their reticence to do so undermines our democracy and strengthens extremist groups like XR.'

XR action saw protesters targeting Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool, blocking the day's newspapers from leaving the depots

David Blunkett, the former Labour home secretary, has led criticism of the police's response to Extinction Rebellion action

Ian Austin, a Labour MP, told the Telegraph: 'The police should uphold the law, enable people to go to work and read the papers they choose.'

It comes after Donnachadh McCarthy, XR spokesman at the Broxbourne demonstration, said only six officers attended the protest at around 10.15pm, with reports that no warnings were given to police beforehand.

A Hertfordshire police spokesman refused to confirm how many officers attended.

Police also insisted that they had no warning of the protest before it went ahead, despite claims that it had been planned from last year.

XR plans to target the media began in October last year and it reportedly wanted maximum disruption to papers published by Rupert Murdoch, Telegraph Media Group and Daily Mail and General Trust.

A document obtained by a Sunday newspaper last December showed organisers spotted how 'vulnerable' Broxbourne was because it had only one exit leading to a busy road.

Merseyside Police announced this morning that it had charged 26 people, aged between 19 and 60, following the demonstration at the 'News International premises' in Knowsley on Friday night.

They are due to appear at Liverpool and Knowsley Magistrates' Court and St Helens Magistrates' Court on January 8 and 13 next year.

Police said all 26 have been granted bail under the condition they do not enter Merseyside or contact any News International employees.

Sources confirmed that Priti Patel, above, wants to take a 'fresh look' at how the climate change group is classified under law

More than 100 demonstrators used vehicles and bamboo lock-ons to block roads outside the Newsprinters' works on Friday evening, with both protests continuing until Saturday afternoon.

Hertfordshire Police said they had taken 50 people into custody.

XR apologised to newsagents for the disruption but added it would not apologise to Mr Murdoch, calling on him to 'stop suppressing the truth about the climate crisis and profiting from the division your papers create'.

Government sources have confirmed that Home Secretary Priti Patel wants to take a 'fresh look' at how XR is classified under law after a stunt Boris Johnson deemed 'completely unacceptable'.

The review could lead to XR being treated as an organised crime group, sources said, as part of a clampdown on its activities, which have included bringing cities across the UK to a standstill by forming human barriers along major roads and by disrupting public transport.

Under additional proposals, Parliament, courts and the press could be given special status in regard to the key role they play in democracy, with the potential for police to be handed beefed-up powers to stop demonstrators entering designated areas outside such premises.

'It would be illegal to stop MPs going to vote or judges getting to court and it would also protect a free press,' a Government source told PA.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said he thought police already had the powers needed to deal with protests.

Speaking to Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, he said: 'We always keep all of our laws under review but I think actually the laws are in place to take relevant enforcement action against criminal behaviour.'

Extinction Rebellion protestors block access of a printing house in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, leaving some newsagents' shelves empty on Saturday morning

The protesters have appeared to have avoided being slapped with the £10,000 fines handed out to those that breach coronavirus restrictions.

Jeremy Corbyn's brother Piers was handed the first £10,000 fine in London for an illegal gathering after he organised a march claiming coronavirus is a hoax last week.

The 73-year-old meteorologist led more than 10,000 anti-lockdown protesters at the 'Unite for Freedom' rally in Trafalgar Square on Saturday.

Mr Corbyn, the older brother of the former Labour leader, was seen being hauled off by officers after the event and his Twitter account has since confirmed he was slapped with the colossal fine and 'held for ten hours.'

He was among eight other offenders who were fined across the rest of England under new lockdown measures imposed on Friday which are designed to stop gatherings of more than 30 people.

The others that were fined had all been organising raves or house parties.

Members of Extinction Rebellion appear to have avoided that punishment.

Responding to criticism from Ms Patel that their actions were an 'attack on our free press', XR said: 'Our free press, society and democracy is under attack - from a failing government that lies to us consistently, is becoming increasingly authoritarian and is leading us towards four degrees of warming.'

The protest has been criticised for being politically motivated.

One XR statement said the action was about racism, as well 'immigration policy, the rights and treatment of minority groups and dozens of other issues'.

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2020-09-06 13:25:47Z
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Birmingham stabbings: Manhunt as one dead, two critical after 'random' attack - Sky News

One man has died and two other people are seriously injured following a "random" series of stabbings in Birmingham city centre.

Five others were also injured in what West Midlands Police have described as a "major incident" overnight - and a murder investigation has been launched.

One unknown male suspect is being sought but no arrests have been made, Chief Superintendent Steve Graham told a news conference on Sunday, adding that the public should remain "alert".

There is no suggestion of terrorism, gang involvement, that firearms were used or that the stabbings were a hate crime, he said, describing it as a "random attack with no clear motive" and saying no links had been found between the victims.

Officers and ambulance crews were called to reports of a stabbing in the city centre at 12:30am on Sunday, and a "number of other stabbings were reported in the area shortly after".

"We believe the incidents, which took place between 12.30am and 2.20am, are linked and we're doing all we can to find whoever was responsible," Mr Graham said.

The first attack took place in Constitution Hill, to the north of the city centre, he said, before further attacks in Livery Street, Irving Street and Hurst Street as the suspect made his way south towards the Arcadian area.

Eyewitnesses reported as many as eight people were injured during what Mr Graham described as a "linked series" of incidents.

Police confirmed early on Sunday morning that a "major incident" had been declared, but work was still ongoing to determine how many people had been injured.

The force later said ahead of the 11am news conference: "We can now confirm that we have launched a murder investigation following last night's events.

"A man has died and another man and a woman have suffered serious injuries. Five others have also been injured."

"Significant resources", Mr Graham said, were being used to track the suspect, denying reports the man was seen running out of the area.

"Already we've got people going down drains, we've got that level of detailed searches taking place which will hopefully reassure the people that we are doing everything we can do to trace the offender," he added.

"About 14 ambulances" were sent to Birmingham city centre from around midnight, West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman Nathan Hudson, who was also one of 11 attending paramedics, said.

Seven patients were treated by ambulance staff, five of them were taken to the city's new Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Mr Hudson said: "Three have suffered critical injuries and sadly one man had lost his life ... Two further patients were transported to Heartlands Hospital and an outpatient with minor injuries was not transported with ambulance assets."

Emergency service personnel - including armed police - have remained on the scene throughout the morning, with forensic tents having been erected in several streets and road closures in place.

One small blue forensic tent was seen in Barwick Street and two other tents were put up in Irving Street, close to the gates of a primary school.

Several yellow police evidence markers could also be seen on the ground, some near to broken glass.

Police have urged people to remain calm and stay away from the area, and have warned that the response would be ongoing "for some time".

Arcadian is a hub of restaurants, bars, cafes, clubs and hotels - located around five minutes' walk from Birmingham New Street station, close to the city's Chinese Quarter and Gay Village areas.

Most of Hurst Street, which runs past the Arcadian, was taped off on Sunday morning, in an area which had already been closed off to traffic to aid social distancing.

Boris Johnson thanked the emergency services and said his thoughts were with anyone affected by the "terrible incident".

Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Twitter: "Our emergency services are working hard to find whoever is responsible and bring them to justice.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said anyone close to the area should be "very vigilant".

Speaking to Sky News' Sophy Ridge On Sunday, Mr Raab said: "My thoughts are with the victims and their families, there is obviously an ongoing police investigation.

"I can't say too much more at this stage, but people should be very vigilant if they are in that area."

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said a rise in violence was "almost inevitable" due to the pandemic.

He told reporters "a lot of the pent-up feelings of people have, and not being able to get out, and combine that with people who are now unsure about their future and about their jobs, it was almost inevitable that we would see a growth in violence.

"I'm not saying that this is directly related to that, but nevertheless we are seeing now a growth of violence among younger people, particularly younger males, we're seeing that growing across the region."

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2020-09-06 11:00:32Z
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Dominc Raab hits out at 'perverse' Diane Abbott's stance on Extinction Rebellion protests - Express

Labour former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said direct action is a "legal tactic" and added it would be "ridiculous" for the Government to reclassify Extinction Rebellion. She told Sky News' Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "They're not criminals, they're protesters and activists in the tradition of the Suffragettes and the hunger marches of the 1930s." But Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the claim was "perverse".

He told the same programme: "We always keep all of our laws under review but I think actually the laws are in place to take relevant enforcement action against criminal behaviour.

"I'm astounded at Diane Abbott's remarks. The idea that it is right to damage property or intervene with a free press in the name of progressive protests I think is perverse.

"And actually, I think it's damaging to the cause of climate change.

"I respect the right of peaceful protest but hijacking that with a militant agenda to disrupt the very heart of democratic debate, which is through a free media, is just totally wrong and we're against it, and I think law enforcement action should be taken to preserve our wider freedoms, and they do include a free media."

Ministers are mulling new protections for "tenets of democracy" such as courts and the press after an environmental protest prevented UK newspapers from reaching the stands.

Some newsagents' shelves were left empty on Saturday morning after Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters targeted Newsprinters printing works at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, and Knowsley, near Liverpool, blocking the day's papers from leaving the depots.

Sources have now confirmed to the PA news agency that Home Secretary Priti Patel wants to take a "fresh look" at how XR is classified under law after a stunt Boris Johnson deemed "completely unacceptable".

"It would be illegal to stop MPs going to vote or judges getting to court and it would also protect a free press," a Government source told PA.

It comes after more than 100 demonstrators used vehicles and bamboo lock-ons to block roads outside the Newsprinters works on Friday evening, with both protests continuing until Saturday afternoon.

The blockade prevented delivery vans from leaving presses which publish the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp's titles including The Sun, The Times, The Sun On Sunday and The Sunday Times, as well as The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, the Daily Mail and Mail On Sunday.

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Extinction Rebellion activists BLOCK Parliament entrance in London [PICTURES]

The Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN) said the protests had hit home delivery operations, including for the "elderly and vulnerable", with its members having to deal with "angry customers".

Merseyside Police said they had arrested 30 people, while Hertfordshire Police said they had taken 50 people into custody.

XR apologised to newsagents for the disruption but added it would not apologise to Mr Murdoch, calling on him to "stop suppressing the truth about the climate crisis and profiting from the division your papers create".

Responding to criticism from Ms Patel that their actions were an "attack on our free press", XR said: "Our free press, society and democracy is under attack - from a failing government that lies to us consistently, is becoming increasingly authoritarian, and is leading us towards 4 degrees of warming."

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2020-09-06 08:53:00Z
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Birmingham stabbings: Manhunt as one dead, two critical after 'random' attack - Sky News

One man has died and two other people are seriously injured following a "random" series of stabbings in Birmingham city centre.

Five others were also injured in what West Midlands Police have described as a "major incident" overnight - and a murder investigation has been launched.

One unknown male suspect is being sought but no arrests have been made, Chief Superintendent Steve Graham told a news conference on Sunday, adding that the public should remain "alert".

There is no suggestion of terrorism, gang involvement, or that the stabbings were a hate crime, he said, describing it as a "random attack with no clear motive".

Officers and ambulance crews were called to reports of a stabbing in the city centre at 12:30am on Sunday, and a "number of other stabbings were reported in the area shortly after".

"We believe the incidents, which took place between 12.30am and 2.20am, are linked and we're doing all we can to find whoever was responsible," Mr Graham said.

Eyewitnesses reported as many as eight people were injured during what police have since described as a "linked series" of incidents, although .