M6 protesters near Coventry 'put lives at risk'

People walked between junctions 3 and 2 on the M6

The blocking of the M6 by demonstrators put their lives and those of drivers "at risk", a protest organiser says.

A group of people walked between junctions 3 and 2 in Warwickshire on Sunday, leading to its closure.

It followed a Black Lives Matter protest involving hundreds of people in Coventry, sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month.

Chloe Persaud said she and fellow organisers were surprised by what later happened on the M6.

"We don't endorse going on to the M6 at all, cos obviously we still have key workers, we still have nurses, doctors trying to get to their jobs," she said.

Chloe Persaud, from Black Lives Matter Coventry, said it "would never ask people to... risk their lives and drivers' lives"

The earlier protest in Coventry's Broadgate had seen people kneel for a minute's silence.

Among those to speak at the event and praise the show of "unity and the solidarity" was Labour MP for Coventry North West Taiwo Owatemi.

She said she later saw protesters on the M6 carriageway herself and was "concerned about the chances of accidents happening" and lives being endangered.

The actions of the M6 protesters were widely criticised by the hundreds of people commenting below footage on the BBC Midlands Facebook page.

Hilda Linford wrote: "This protest has been hijacked by yobs with agendas of their own."

Joyce Roberts wrote: "Disgraceful! They should all have been arrested!"

Dicky Davies said: "Trying to get the point across that lives matter by walking down a motorway is a little counterproductive."

Footage of Mr Floyd's arrest shows a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Mr Floyd's neck while he was pinned to the ground.

The officer was dismissed and has been charged with murder.

Hundreds had attended a peaceful protest in Coventry