Man cautioned after activists shown having hair pulled at Reform UK conference

Harry Taylor, Press Association Political Staff

A man has been cautioned by police after protesters appeared to have been grabbed and had their hair pulled at the Reform UK conference earlier this month.

West Midlands Police said a man had been given a conditional caution after he was voluntarily interviewed.

It came after footage appeared to show protesters being manhandled by audience members as they were thrown out of the party’s conference in Birmingham.

The force asked victims to come forward in the aftermath.

Conditional cautions are the more severe of the two types of caution. Cautions are offered by police if they have enough evidence to convict and the person involved has admitted their part in a crime.

Agreeing to a caution is an admission of guilt.

People who agree to conditional cautions are subject to certain terms, which can include a fine, reparations to the victim or rehabilitation.

The activists disrupted party leader Nigel Farage four times during his speech on September 4, and were removed by security.

However, video footage showed members of the audience grabbing the face of one protester, pulling her hair and hitting her with a walking stick.

A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: “Our investigation into a number of assaults that took place at the Reform UK National Conference at the NEC continues.

“One man has been given a conditional caution after being voluntarily interviewed as part of the investigation. Two other men have also been voluntarily interviewed, and enquiries continue.

“We would continue to appeal for anyone with information, or who was the victim of an assault, to come forward, quoting log 1106 of 3 September.”

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