Police have been given extra stop and search power this afternoon after as a heated protest takes place in Victoria Square.

It comes after officers were given enhanced powers to order people away from areas of Bolton earlier today.

Under a Section 60, officers have extra powers to stop and search people in defined areas within a specific timeframe.

A Section 60AA authority allows us to require people to remove face coverings used to disguise or conceal their appearance.

Read our live coverage of the protest here

Read more: Bolton police given extra powers as protest takes place in town centre

These temporary powers will be enforced until 10pm today (Sunday 4 August 2024) and have been authorised as part of our policing response to keep communities safe and prevent harm and disorder with increased protest activity.

Chief Inspector Natasha Evans said: “We are working with organisers of the pre-planned protests to help facilitate peaceful protest and prevent disruption.

“You will see we continue to have a large presence in the town and these additional powers, on top of those authorised earlier which allow us to disperse crowds, will allow us to prevent incidents and keep people safe.

“If you are unsure about anything, speak with one of our officers on the ground, they are there to help.”

You can contact us on 101, or report an incident via gmp.police.uk or call the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Always dial 999 in an emergency.