Liverpool arms conference: Two further arrests made
- Published
The conference was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic
Police have made two further arrests after protesters climbed on to the roof of an exhibition centre during a conference on military arms technology.
About 100 people had gathered outside the Liverpool Arena and Convention Centre in protest against the event.
The men, 24 and 27, were held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage, aggravated trespass and obstruction of the police.
It follows the earlier arrest of six others at the protest.
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said the two men on the roof of the building were "safely brought down by police" after 23 hours.
The force also introduced a dispersal zone around the waterfront area until 18:44 BST in response to reports of plans to commit criminal damage during the convention.
It means officers can ask people who they suspect are causing, or are likely to cause, a nuisance or anti-social behaviour or commit a crime, to leave the area and not return for up to 48 hours.
But the decision has been criticised by some, including Cllr Sarah Doyle, ward councillor for the area, who described it as an "excessive use of police power" in a letter to Merseyside's police and crime commissioner and chief constable.
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She told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It comes down to proportionality… a dispersal order covering the whole of the waterfront is not proportionate to the concerns that the police have.
"This mirrors what we have seen in the riot vans' presence and police presence - it does not seem proportionate."
However Ch Supt Paul Court said the force's response was proportionate to the information it had received.
"We also have a duty towards those involved in the event who have a lawful right to go about their business," he added.
"Our role is to balance and facilitate the rights of both sides which can often be challenging, particularly when these are emotive issues."
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