Officers are looking into an alleged public order offence involving a hate component following a protest last week at Warwickshire County Council’s premises.

Approximately 30 campaigners assembled near the county’s Shire Hall offices on Friday, 22 May, 30 minutes before a council session open to the public where representatives voted on seeking public input regarding plans to scrap funding for the Equality and Inclusion Partnership.

Several of the demonstrators later entered the building to watch the discussion and the resulting decision. During the public portion of the meeting, a claim was made that a discriminatory comment had been uttered outside the venue.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service has opted to withhold additional particulars due to the active police inquiry.

A spokesperson for Warwickshire Police said an investigation was underway following a report of an incident near Shire Hall on Friday, 22 May.

The force also verified that as of Thursday afternoon, 28 May, no individuals had been detained.

The protest remained predominantly orderly and visual in character, with participants among them serving county and district councillors from throughout Warwickshire wearing bright hues reminiscent of the Pride banner. Some carried Pride flags while others held signs displaying slogans including Love equality and Equality and inclusion benefits everyone.

No opposing protest materialised either outside Shire Hall or during the meeting itself.

The gathering was triggered by plans to entirely eliminate a 135,000-pound annual grant provided by the county council to EQuIP.

The organisation, which previously operated under the name Warwickshire Race Equality Partnership before expanding its focus in 2017 to tackle all forms of discrimination, provides support for discrimination and hate crime victims, delivers equalities training and guidance, and facilitates community involvement and social cohesion through partnerships with community groups, faith bodies, businesses, schools and public sector organisations.

The 135,000 pounds accounts for more than 60 percent of EQuIP’s annual revenue, with the council’s public consultation on discontinuing this funding anticipated to begin sometime in June.