Section Of M6 Closed Near Coventry After BLM Protesters March On Carriageway

A section of the M6 had to be closed in Coventry after Black Lives Matter protesters began marching on the carriageway.

The road was closed southbound at junction 3 after the protesters reportedly blocked the road with cones and began marching.

Warwickshire Police confirmed the road had been closed.

A spokesperson said: "Please seek alternative routes and be wary if you are travelling on the M6. We have units in scene trying to protect them from traffic."

Speaking to Coventry Live, an eyewitness said: "I was going 70 then they just walked out into the road in front of me. They put traffic cones down and then sat down.

"I'd say there are 100 here. They came on at junction 3 of the M6 and now there's a rolling roadblock to junction 2.

"The traffic has been held both sides. The police helicopter is up and there is a police dogs team here as well.

"The group were chanting 'Black Lives Matter' over and over again."

Warwickshire Police's Operational Patrol Unit confirmed protesters had vacated the road around an hour ago and the carriageway had been reopened.

Earlier today, protesters in Bristol pulled down a statue of slave trader Edward Colston.

The 17th Century slave trader's statue was pulled from its plinth with ropes before being thrown into the harbour.

Activists have been gathering in Bristol, as in many other cities in the world, to protest against the death of George Floyd, who died while he was in police custody in Minneapolis on 25 May.

Some of the protesters knelt on the neck of the statue, mimicking Derek Chauvin, the former police officer charged with second degree murder following Floyd's death.

The statue has been a controversial topic in Bristol for some time, with many people believing that it should be removed. That debate, it would seem, is now over.

Topics: UK News

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey