Community praised as Coventry armed stand-off enters fifth day

A community has been praised for its “incredible spirit” as an armed stand-off disrupts life for a fifth day.

A 41-year-old man remains in a Coventry flat after barricading himself in with his eight-year-old son, having refused to leave since Sunday.

Armed officers are at the scene and police say specialist teams are working hard to resolve the situation safely.

Local MP Zarah Sultana said residents were coming together “at a very difficult time”.

West Midlands Police said it believed there were weapons in the ground-floor property where officers had been stationed since being called there at the weekend for a welfare check.

Roads, businesses and a school have been closed all week. Some residents living near the scene on Earlsdon Avenue North said they could not leave their homes without police escort.

“This has impacted people’s day-to-day lives but there’s so much solidarity,” Ms Sultana, the Labour MP for Coventry South, said.

“We’ve had people who’ve been providing groceries for each other, checking up on each other, and I think that’s what’s beautiful about Coventry and about the community here – people coming together.”

A woman, Sarah, who lives close to the scene, said there had been a “constant police presence” outside her home.

“It’s just become a bit normal really,” she said.

“At the start of the week we were seeing lots of armed police – we tend to see unarmed police now, but they’re always around asking us if we’re OK.”

The new mum, who is looking after a 10-week-old baby, said: “Initially we were told we couldn’t leave the house.

“My dad had to bring some nappies down and he was able to lift them across the cordon, which was just so bizarre.”

The community spirit in the area had been “really nice”, she added.

“It’s a really nice area with a huge community spirit at the best of times, so it doesn’t really surprise me that people are pulling together.

“We’ve spoken to neighbours that we’ve never even met before, because of what’s been happening; just been checking everyone’s OK.”

Sikh charity Langar Aid handed out hot food and refreshments in the area on Wednesday.

Avtar Kaur said volunteers would be returning on Thursday, calling the situation “surreal”.

“Our volunteers were on site and they were able to see everything, and it’s quite shocking to see how it’s affected everyone.”

A Coventry councillor called on locals to help support a café inside the cordon, which had been left unable to trade since Sunday.

Jayne Innes tweeted : “Once they reopen let’s all treat ourselves to coffee / cake/ breakfast / whatever we fancy to give them a boost.”

A stretch of Earlsdon Avenue North and adjoining Newcombe Road remain closed, along with a library and school.

Supt Ronan Tyrer said on Wednesday: “I appreciate for residents, but for also the wider community, including those parents of children at Earlsdon Primary School, that it is incredibly frustrating.

“What I will say is that this is a really sensitive policing operation.”

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