Overview

• Police were alerted just before 3pm to a suspicious package in Centenary Square, prompting evacuation of nearby civic buildings including the Library of Birmingham and Symphony Hall.
• West Midlands Police and British Transport Police established a security cordon around the square and adjacent streets to secure the area.
• Bomb Disposal Unit specialists examined the item and declared it safe by approximately 4:30pm, leading to the cordon’s removal.
• Centenary Square has reopened to shoppers, commuters and event attendees with normal activity resumed near Birmingham New Street station.
• Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the origin and nature of the package to determine how it appeared in the public space.