A FIGHT broke out when two men ‘blacked up’ outside Waitrose.
Police were called to Western Road in Brighton after reports that two men had painted their faces black and then a fight broke out in front of stunned shoppers.
The drama unfolded in front of shocked passersby enjoying their lunchtime. Many were shocked by what they saw and could not understand why the men had 'blacked up'.
One passer-by said: "I was a bit surprised I was just heading into Waitrose.
"I saw one man towards me with a blacked up face and no shoes on.
"It looked like he had boot polish on his face.
"I thought he was an idiot.
"It was an unedifying sight. It's not what you expect to see outside Waitrose."
A 36-year-old homeless man and a 29-year-old man were arrested for disorderly behaviour, racially or religiously aggravated harassment and actual bodily harm.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Police were called to reports of a fight in Western Road, Brighton, at 1.35pm on Tuesday (February 19).
“A 36-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested on suspicion of displaying threatening or abusive writing or sign or visible representation likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress; two counts of racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by words or writing; using threatening or abusive words, behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress; and two counts of assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.
“A 29-year-man from Worthing was arrested on suspicion of displaying threatening or abusive writing or sign or visible representation likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress; two counts of racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by words or writing; using threatening or abusive words, behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress; and assaulting a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm.
“Both were released under investigation.
“It was reported that they had put black substance on their faces.”
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