Conditional caution issued over assaults at Reform UK conference
One man has received a conditional caution after a voluntary interview about assaults at the Reform UK national conference at the NEC in Birmingham.
West Midlands Police said its investigation is continuing. The force is looking into assaults on five people at the party conference, as reported on 23 September BBC.
The force confirmed the incidents took place on 4 September West Midlands Police. That was the day party leader Nigel Farage was interrupted four times during his speech at the NEC before activists were removed by security.
Footage appeared to show protesters being handled roughly by audience members as they were removed from the hall. One woman protester had her hair pulled and was hit with a walking stick.
Police had earlier appealed for a woman who had her hair and head grabbed to come forward. West Midlands Police has since asked any alleged victims, and anyone with information about the assaults, to come forward.
The force said two other men have also been voluntarily interviewed. Inquiries are continuing.
The broader context here is familiar to anyone who runs party conferences. Security staff are expected to remove disrupters quickly. Problems start when audience members join in. That is the line between a managed ejection and a possible criminal complaint.
The broader question for conference season is how far this case goes. The outcome so far is limited. A conditional caution — a formal warning that needs an admission and comes with conditions — stops short of a charge. With five complainants and two other voluntary interviews, the case is not yet closed. A voluntary interview, where someone agrees to answer questions without being arrested, is normal for allegations of this kind. It does not by itself point to how the case will end.
In my view, the practical test for parties is keeping control of the hall. The expectation on police is to act consistently. A force policing a high-profile gathering in Birmingham will want to show it treats disorder at any political event in the same way. The public appeal for witnesses fits that approach. It keeps the evidence open while footage is checked and accounts are compared.
The question now for organisers across Westminster, shorthand for national politics, is what happens next. Much will turn on whether more witnesses come forward and whether inquiries lead to further outcomes. The line under scrutiny is narrow, between protest, removal and assault.
