Police last night sealed off Coventry's Central Six shopping centre following rumours that the street riots and looting had spread to the city from London and Birmingham.
With messages on social networking sites suggesting the trouble had now erupted in Coventry, police took the precaution of blocking access to the Central Six retail park near the railway station.
A group of young men seen in the area were questioned by officers.
A police spokesman said: “One man was arrested for possessing an offensive weapon.”
A police van remained at the entrance to the shopping centre off Warwick Road, stopping all access to the site.
West Midlands Police released a statement in the early hours of this morning stating rumours on social media of disturbances in Coventry and Wolverhampton were incorrect.
Living not far from Central Six myself I can assure people there was no sign of any trouble around here last night.
