An arrest has been made as police continue to hunt down a group of youths who wielded machetes in Nottingham city centre.
Police immediately responded after four youths on two e-bikes confronted a group of other youths outside the Council House in Old Market Square on Sunday evening (16 November).
Officers were on scene within less than a minute of the call and an extensive search of the area was conducted, with several people being searched but the suspects had left the area. No injuries were reported.
A thorough investigation to identify those responsible, including an extensive CCTV search and public appeal for information, has now led to an arrest.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested on Wednesday afternoon (19 November) in connection with the incident and taken into custody. Enquiries to trace further suspects remain ongoing.
Assistant Chief Constable Suk Verma said:
“Whilst we completely understand the concern this incident has caused, we are satisfied this was two groups challenging each other and they did not engage with other members of the public.
• River Trent: Police update as car found in river – search for possible occupants continues
“However this does not take away how frightening this must have been for the public. We completely understand that. That’s why we are taking this matter so seriously and high-visibility reassurance patrols are continuing to take place in the area.
“We have a team of highly-skilled detectives investigating this incident and I am pleased a suspect has been located and arrested – and enquiries to trace further suspects are ongoing.
“I’d like to thank those who have come forward with information and we are continuing to call on the public’s help. We need people to contact us with any information they have.
“This was a shameful and dangerous incident and we won’t stop until those involved are apprehended and put before the courts.
“We will use all the powers at our disposal and that isn’t just arrest or charge. We can use our policing powers to ensure you are banned from the city centre and will no longer be able to use the facilities and meet friends and family over the Christmas period.
“Our priority is keeping the public safe and ensuring they feel safe. This was senseless and dangerous behaviour and we won’t allow it to ruin our city’s reputation and prevent people thinking twice about coming into the city over the Christmas period.”
ACC Verma acknowledged incidents such as this can make people feel unsafe. However, he insisted Christmas attractions such as Winter Wonderland in Old Market Square were safe for families to visit. He said:
“Winter Wonderland is safe. We have a full policing plan for the festive period including using armed and unarmed police, together with resources from the City Council. We also have a CCTV van which covers a wide area and has facial recognition capability.
“We do get criticised for not having bobbies on the beat. This could not be further from the truth. We have dedicated neighbourhood teams that operate in both uniforms and plain-clothes.”
Anyone with information about Sunday’s incident who has yet to come forward is asked to call 101 quoting incident 578 of 16 November 2025.
