Four people have been arrested following a pro-Palestinian protest at a restaurant in Stoke-on-Trent.

The event at the Mirchi restaurant in Shelton on Friday evening had been organised to raise funds for Staffordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Ben Adams' re-election campaign.

But as guests arrived from around 6.30pm they were confronted by a group of around 30 protestors outside the restaurant, chanting slogans such as 'shame on you'. Police were called and two officers attended initially.

A small group of demonstrators entered the restaurant and confronted the event's attendees, who included Mr Adams and a number of senior Conservative councillors from Stoke-on-Trent and other parts of Staffordshire, describing them as 'Zionist supporters' and accusing them of being 'genocidal guys'.

Four people have been arrested since the incident (Staffordshire Police).

A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and using threatening/abusive words and or behaviour likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress.

He has since been released on conditional police bail while enquiries continue.

Three other men, aged 52, 25 and 23, have been arrested on suspicion of the same offences.

Staffordshire Police say: "Whilst we respect the right of those who seek to protest peacefully, the right of those who wish to participate in the democratic process is fundamental.

"We will continue to support those in Staffordshire who seek to do this and deal robustly, within the law, with those who seek to frustrate such legitimate and important activities."

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