CCTV images released of Coventry football fans suspected of knife and gang violence

CCTV images of fifteen people wanted in connection with violence that broke out during an unofficial Coventry City FC promotion party have been released by police.

Trouble flared on the evening of 9 June earlier this summer, after several hundred people gathered in Broadgate to celebrate the team’s promotion to the Championship.

According to West Midlands Police, it’s alleged two men approached the group and brandished a knife before disorder erupted.

Officers put themselves between the crowd and the two men to protect them at the time to prevent further violence but the heated confrontation resulted in a large brawl.

A window was broken during the disturbance but no-one was injured.

Detectives have scoured CCTV and social media clips and already identified eleven people suspected of involvement in the violence, including the two men who had been targeted by the group.

Police have said the suspects had either been arrested or voluntarily interviewed and released while enquires progressed.

However, they have now issued images of fifteen more people who were present on the night and are suspected of playing a role in the disorder.

Coventry Police Detective Inspector Amar Patel, said: “This has been a painstaking investigation: we have spent hundreds of hours examining CCTV and social media footage in a bid to identify people who played a significant role in the disorder.

“This was a very serious outbreak of violence and it’s fortunate no-one was badly hurt.

“We’re still working to understand exactly what happened in the build-up to the trouble and I would encourage the people in these images to come and speak to us so we can hear their side of the story.”

Coventry City Chief Executive Dave Boddy said: “We would encourage those people in these photos to come forward to the Police with information regarding the incident and to give their side of the story to help the police investigation.”

If anyone has any information or recognises any of the suspects in the above images, they can contact West Midlands Police via Live Chat at WMP Online or by calling 101 quoting crime reference 20CV/133602V/20.