Council meeting abandoned after Gaza demonstration

Walsall's mayor and councillors left the chamber after a protest

A council meeting was abandoned after a protest was launched by people calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The interruption from the public gallery was at Walsall Council's meeting on Thursday evening, as councillors gathered to discuss the local authority's annual budget.

"I saw mob rule taking over the democratic process," said council leader Mike Bird.

"As a result we left the council chamber and left the individuals talking to a handful of people who remained."

Police officers were called to the scene, he said.

Council Leader Mike Bird said "mob rule" had led to the adjournment

There was also quite a large demonstration outside the council house, he added, "with noise and intimidation, in my view, from the volume of people that were there".

He said he agreed with the right for people to protest, but questioned the difference Walsall Council could make to an international crisis in the Middle East.

"I answer that question quite clearly - none," he said.

"Our job as elected members [is] to make sure we serve our residents, and our residents are the people who vote us in to look after their personal interests on the ground in Walsall."

The meeting is expected to be reconvened at a date in the near future.

Mr Bird said the council had a legal responsibility to set a budget.