A teenager in Birmingham claims 'at least' 20 police officers turned up at his city centre apartment after receiving a false tip-off that he'd been hosting a lockdown party.
Jayden Gray, a local YouTube star known as Canking, said police turned up at his home on Wednesday 13 January, following reports of people entering the premises.
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However, there were just three people inside the property when cops entered: Gray, his flatmate, and Gray's girlfriend - who was fined for breaking coronavirus restrictions.
Gray, 18, filmed the incident as it unfolded and shared the clip on Instagram, where it racked up more than 30,000 views before it was deleted.
He said: "I wasn't breaking any rules, I wasn't having any parties."
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Gray said he'd been in his apartment playing music 'very low' before police arrived at 9.30pm.
"I heard a knock at the door and went to look through the peephole," he recalled.
"One of them put their finger [on] the peephole so I couldn't see who it was.
"I was asking over and over again who it was, but they weren't saying anything and continued knocking.
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"I wasn't going to open the door if they were not going to say who they were. So I walked away from the door and they continued knocking.
"I looked back through the peephole and the finger was not fully overit so I could see the police. I opened the door and was greeted with aggression.
"There were five of them in the kitchen pressuring my girl. They said she shouldn't be here.
"One officer said something about spousal support but then another said: 'No, we have to fine her'."
Gray said he felt shocked at how many officers arrived, continuing: "A lot of them came in... I got my phone and started recording. At first 10 came and then way more were coming around the corner. There were at least 20 of them.
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"There was just three of us, me, my roommate, and my girl.
"If they expected a party it made no sense for everyone to enter the building. I live in an apartment on the top floor.
"If there was a party, we couldn't get out of the apartment because we're not going to jump out.
"I feel like they were trying to make a point."
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Criticising police for sending so many officers, Gray added: "They didn't handle the situation properly.
"If they got the call and expected a party that is completely understandable. But the way they handled it is not right."
A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "We received a call just after 10pm on Wednesday [13 Jan] from a member of the public concerned there was a significant Covid-19 breach at a flat in Navigation Street, Birmingham.
"The caller suggested loud music was playing and there was a party being held at the address.
"Officers attended but found only one person at the address who was not registered as living there.
"An 18-year-old woman was issued a fine for breaching the lockdown restrictions.
"We apologise if the tenant believed our response was excessive but we were simply responding to information provided to us."
Gray, who has built up a large following online for public stunts and brazen interviews with strangers in the street, previously his headlines last summer, after hundreds of people flouted social distancing rules for a meet and greet with him in Birmingham city centre.
As large crowds turned up outside the Bullring shopping centre, several arrests were made - including a 19-year-old who received a caution after throwing an egg at an officer.
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