Shocking footage shows gang waving Palestinian flags storming pub before knocking man to floor and kicking him in head

SHOCKING footage shows a gang waving Palestine flags storming a pub before knocking a man to the floor and kicking him in the head.

Police launched an investigation after a video was shared online showed a large crowd of mainly Asian men, many of whom wore balaclavas or face coverings, gathering outside The Clumsy Swan in Birmingham.

Others covered their faces with hoods while some were seen carrying Palestine flags in the viral video shared on X, formerly Twitter.

The group are understood to be a rival gang who formed after rumours of a planned far-right protest in the area.

But scenes soon turned ugly as the yobs gathered in large numbers directly outside the pub as most of the customers hid inside.

One customer at the boozer was seen standing outside looking out at the gang, in scenes filmed from inside the Birmingham establishment.

Footage then shows a thug with a balaclava approach him before knocking him to the floor with a brutal left-handed punch as he tried to back away.

At least two other yobs were seen kicking the defenceless man in the head multiple times in the sickening video.

It's at this point other men in the group jumped over the wall and swarmed the area in front of the pub.

One thug wearing a balaclava was even seen kicking the windows of the boozer as terrified pubgoers were heard screaming inside during the footage viewed by thousands.

West Midlands Police said it is probing reports of an assault and "incidents of criminal damage" at the pub.

Chief Superintendent Richard North said: "Fortunately rumours of the significant protest activity in the city didn’t materialise.

"There were several sporadic incidents of criminality during the evening and we will work hard to arrest those responsible.

"We want to reassure you that anyone participating in any criminality on our streets will be dealt with robustly.

"You will continue to see an increased police presence on our streets over the coming days to offer reassurance to our communities."

A separate video of the same incident was also shared online by another man across the road from the pub.

He was heard saying: "They're smashing the pub up they shouldn't do that man.

"That's wrong, I don't agree with that.

"There's probably families in there, stupid of them to do that.

"Those people are inside not outside on the street demonstrating."

In the footage, hundreds of yobs were seen crossing the road to attack the pub in chaotic scenes as shocked bystanders watched on.

The shocking incident took place close to where a live Sky News broadcast was interrupted by a protester on Monday.

During the broadcast, presenter Becky Johnson was interrupted by a masked protester who sped up behind her on a motorbike.

He shouted "yo, free Palestine, f*** the EDL" in the terrifying clip.

Other protesters rush into frame as Sky's camera cuts away.

Crowds also gathered outside a McDonald's in Bordesley Green, Birmingham, chanting about stopping protesters who sparked nights of chaos.

Mosques and homes in predominantly Muslim areas have been targets in last week's riots - sparked by online lies about murders of three girls in Southport last Monday.

Prime Minister's warning

On Monday, Sir Keir Starmer hit out at thugs wreaking havoc across Britain, saying violence would not be "tolerated" and the full force of the law would come down on the perpetrators.

The PM said: "There are a number of actions that came out of the meeting.

"The first is we will have a Standing Army of specialist public duty officers so that we will have enough officers to deal with this where we need them.

"The second is we will ramp up criminal justice. There have already been hundreds of arrests, some have appeared in court this morning.

"I have asked for early consideration of the earliest naming and identification of those involved in the process who will feel the full force of the law."

The PM and top cops put online and in-person thugs on notice.

A No10 spokesperson warned social media bosses that they have a responsibility to guarantee criminal activity doesn't appear or run amok on their platforms.

They said ministers are in close contact with tech chiefs to "ensure they are meeting their obligations" around racist illegal activity.

Downing Street also confirmed there are enough free prison cells to ensure every last rioter is locked up.

More than 420 people have been arrested after social media lies whipped up riots across the UK.

Hundreds of thugs petrol-bombed a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham, near Sheffield, on Sunday.

Rioters in balaclavas hurled bricks and fire extinguishers at cops who tried in vain to stop them torching the hotel.

Yobs also petrol-bombed a Holiday Inn hosting asylum seekers in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

A children's library in Liverpool and a Citizens' Advice centre in Sunderland were also torched over the weekend.