Birmingham violence warning came day before stabbings

Stabbings a mile from the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham came less than 24 hours after a warning about rising violence in the city.

Speaking from its venue on Monday a city newspaper editor told Newsnight "people are literally dying on the streets... 300 yards from [here]".

On Tuesday, three men were stabbed near a McDonald's in the city centre.

West Midlands Police dealt with more than 2,000 knife crime incidents in the first six months of 2018.

Police cordoned off an area of High Street and Dale End in Birmingham after the stabbings on Tuesday

Nine of those were fatal.

There were a total of 23 fatal knife attacks in the region between May 2017 and May 2018.

Police released CCTV images of some of those they believe may have been involved in a "large-scale fight" as trouble flared on the High Street in Dale End at about 17:45 BST on Tuesday.

During the disturbance two men, aged 18 and 19, suffered knife injuries to the arm and leg, respectively, while a 17-year-old boy was stabbed in the chest, police said.

All three have since been discharged from hospital.

West Midlands Police released CCTV images of people they want to speak to in connection with a "large-scale fight" during which the stabbings took place

Two men, aged 18 and 19, suffered knife injuries to the arm and leg, respectively, while a 17-year-old boy was stabbed in the chest, police said

Officers said there are a total of 22 suspects, all believed to be in their mid-to-late teens, that they want to question.

Det Insp Greg Evans said: "What happened was totally unacceptable - a large-scale fight involving upwards of 20 people in the city centre in broad daylight.

"We know that at least one offender was armed with a knife and believe that belts and a metal bar were also brandished as weapons.

"At least one offender was armed with a knife and we believe that belts and a metal bar were also brandished as weapons" Det Insp Evans added

"Do the right thing and contact us so you can give us your version of events" Det Insp Evans added in an appeal to the suspects.

Anyone with information, including photos or video of what happened, has been urged to let the police know.

It comes as Birmingham Mail editor Marc Reeves spoke to BBC Newsnight earlier in the week from the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham, which is hosting the Tory conference.

"Literally 300 yards from where we are sitting, the story of knife crime is played out on the streets of Birmingham," he said.

"People are dying on the streets of Birmingham - they want to see that on the agenda for a change."

The attacks happened about 300m from the Bullring.

• Latest news and updates from the West Midlands

The attacks on Tuesday happened about 300m from the Bullring

Witnesses said a group of about 100 teenagers had been in the area at the time and one man was left "seriously injured".

The others were in a "better condition".

Analysis

By Daniel Wainwright, BBC England Data Unit

In 2017-18 there were 2,850 knife-related offences in the West Midlands force area. That's up 19% in a year. But that increase is only slightly above the England and Wales average of a 16% rise.

The past year was the worst year for knife crimes in the West Midlands since 2010-11, when there were 3,018 offences.

When weighted by population, the latest figures work out at one knife crime for every 1,000 people in the West Midlands force area.

This is the third highest rate among the 43 forces in England and Wales.

In a speech on Tuesday, Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced a £200m youth endowment fund to focus on violent crime hotspots.

The BBC has asked the Home Office if and how the funding will be used in Birmingham.

Police Federation Chairman John Apter said the proposal was "nothing new".

"There are not enough police officers to cover the demand we already have; many of my members are at or beyond breaking point and the public are increasingly being provided with a substandard service," he said.

More than 2,000 police officers' jobs have been cut from the West Midlands force since 2010, according to the West Midlands police and crime commissioner.

The force's funding has also been cut by 24% - £145m - making it the second hardest hit force in the country, the National Audit Office found last month.