EMOTIONS were continuing to run high today among hundreds of people who staged a demonstration over the alleged rape of a teenager.
Nearly 1,000, mainly from Birmingham's black community, have signed a petition demanding justice for the alleged victim who is believed to be an illegal immigrant.
Community leaders appealed for calm at a packed public meeting last night at the African Caribbean Self-Help Organisation in Heathfield Road, Handsworth.
And there were pleas for the alleged victim, believed to be only 14, to come forward and give a statement to police.
Earlier, nearly 300 local people had staged a demonstration near Perry Barr's One Stop shopping area.
They were vowing to continue the demonstration today and stage a protest march on Saturday.
DJ Leon Bedward, one of the organisers, said: "We want justice for this girl and I am confident that we will be able to contact her soon."
Another community leader said: "I have never seen local people so incensed. There were so many young people at this meeting.
"We just hope the young girl will come forward because there is a limit to what police can do without a victim's statement."
People at the meeting said the girl was rumoured to have been attacked by several men and later taken to City Hospital.
Police praised the peaceful nature of the protest and agreed to meet community leaders last night.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said that no allegation of rape had been reported, but anyone who approached them would be treated "sensitively and in confidence."
