An MP was among up to 100 mourners who defied local coronavirus restrictions to attend a funeral yesterday.
Hall Green MP Tahir Ali was at Sutton New Hall Cemetery in Sutton Coldfield where police were called but no action was taken.
Mr Ali confirmed to Birmingham Live he had joined in prayers at at the ceremony and blasted the restrictions limiting funeral numbers.
The number in attendance was understood to have been between 80 and 100, though most attendees dispersed after saying funeral prayers.
West Midlands Police confirmed it was alerted to reports of a large crowd but officers found 15 mourners in family groups observing social distance rules.
Cemetery staff raised the alarm after seeing the size of the gathering amid fears about infection risks.
Only six mourners are now permitted at any funeral in the city under Covid-19 restrictions.
Labour MP Mr Ali said he was there to 'observe' after being contacted by the distressed family, who he knew well.
He said he joined in funeral prayers outside the cemetery and then 'left immediately.'
He said it was one of two funerals he had attended that day - the other with around 20 mourners at a ceremony in Sandwell - as part of moves to gather information to call for a relaxation in funeral rules to help distressed families.
Mr Ali, who is also still a city councillor, said he also intended to attend funerals in Walsall, Dudley and Wolverhampton in the coming days to do more 'observations'.
He is calling for more people to be allowed to mourn together in the city, as long as they observe social distancing rules. He said it was otherwise putting large families in the city - many of them Muslim - in a horrendous situation.
In response, the city's housing and neighbourhoods cabinet member Cllr Sharon Thompson, who oversees bereavement services, said: "We are clear that the fewer people there are at funerals will, we hope, help us see fewer funerals.
"There are restrictions in place for one reason - to try to keep people safe and reduce infection.
"I appreciate some will not agree but my priority is to keep people safe and save lives.
"None of this is easy. It is a very difficult time and we absolutely understand the distress of families affected by loss."
One anxious mourner said they had no idea so many people would be in attendance but they had been urged to attend to pay their respects.
"We were shocked when we turned up. There were around 80 or more people, all stood together.
"Groups of six at a time were going into the cemetery to pay their respects. It did not feel as if people understood we were in a lockdown."
He added that he was surprised to see Mr Ali there, as an MP for the city.
"I would have thought he would set an example. It didn't seem right."
Mr Ali's fellow city councillor Majid Mahmood is also calling for a relaxation in funeral attendance numbers, calling for a maximum of 20 attendees to be allowed to attend.
He has written to city council leaders calling for the number to be increased.
Mr Ali has defended his attendance at the gathering, which is in clear contravention of rules around mass gatherings, social isolation and essential travel.
Mr Ali said he was contacted by a family he knew well who asked if there could be any flexibility around numbers allowed at the cemetery, as they had a very large family.
"In other council areas many more people are allowed to attend. In Luton, Bradford, other councils, more are permitted, up to 20.
"Yet here in Birmingham the number is restricted to six.
"Families are very distressed. They are already unable to visit their loved ones in hospital and then there are limited numbers at funerals.
"The limit here (in Birmingham) is arbitrary, and for families that is difficult to understand.
"They hear of different rules in other areas, and ask why not here?"
In response, Cllr Thompson of Birmingham City Council said: "We took advice from officers and public health officials before setting our funeral restrictions, which are shared with our neighbours in Solihull.
"The number is limited to six, not to harm families but as a way to reduce risk of infection. It applies to cremations and burials, and equally across the city.
"We are clear - having fewer people at funerals will, we hope, help us see fewer funerals.
"We briefed councillors before announcing the change to our policy and had no feedback at that time. We are now aware of concerns being raised.
"We have also been consulting with faith leaders and groups, funeral directors, community groups and councillors constantly through this crisis.
"Whilst I appreciate that there are variances across local authority areas, each local authority will have based their decision on the facilities (crematoriums and/or cemeteries), welfare of staff and ability of those on site to be able to manage funerals, government guidance on social distancing/travel alongside size of the local authority area population and reducing the likelihood of the virus travelling across the population."
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: "Officers were called to a report of a large crowd of people at a funeral in Sutton New Hall Cemetery yesterday (1 April).
"On arrival officers found approximately 15 people socially distanced into family groups, therefore no action was taken."