THE police have kicked off a “day of action” by detaining a man for antisocial behaviour.

An officer said the man was being held in a police car after he was “loud and obstructive” towards a Police Community Support Officer.

It comes as Sussex Police descend on St James’s Street in a show of force this morning.

Officers said they are stepping up patrols in the area today as part of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

An officer at the scene said the man was “loud and obstructive towards one of our PCSOs and didn’t like it when we spoke with him”.

A witness said she had seen officers holding the man’s arms back.

Several police cars are now patrolling St James Street and officers have been seen warning cyclists not to go the wrong way down the street.