Police struggle to disperse thousands of illegal ravers at two events in London

532

View
comments

Police are struggling to disperse thousands of ravers at two events in London tonight as 1,000 riot officers remain ready to crack down on illegal parties.

Officers are responding to ‘unlicensed’ raves on Clapham Common and Tooting Bec Common tonight after a week of violence and disorder.

Video footage shows ravers dancing to loud music in Tooting Bec and hundreds of people earlier flouting social distancing in Clapham.

The Metropolitan Police have now put two dispersal zones in place.  

Lambeth Police tweeted: ‘Officers are at the scene of a large unlicensed music event in Clapham Common. They are dispersing those in attendance. 

‘We understand the impact this is having on the local community, officers will remain at the scene until the event is cleared.’ 

Wandsworth Police released a similar statement, while the Metropolitan Police tweeted: ‘An enhanced policing operation remains in place across London tonight following a number of violent incidents in recent days. 

‘We are aware of a number of unlicensed events taking place tonight – specially trained officers have been deployed to ensure crowds are dispersed.’

Seven arrests were made by the Met Police yesterday, including two people in Newham carrying a firearm and ‘Rambo-style’ knife respectively.  

It followed two huge raves in the capital again yesterday, as riot police failed to control a gathering in West Kilburn at 3pm before hundreds of youngsters marched through London and partied in the Maida Vale area until late. 

Illegal ravers across the UK have been leaving parks and streets strewn with litter as dozens of lockdown parties spring up in response to restrictions being lifted.

Tottenham residents were left furious after finding glass bottles, gas canisters and food all over Bruce Castle Park yesterday after a rave which lasted until 4am.

Mass parties have cropped up in Manchester, Cardiff and Brighton this week, while a rave in Brixton, London which turned riotous led to police injuries.  

Revellers held massive block parties in London yesterday, as riot police failed to control huge crowds in West Kilburn and Maida Vale.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said ‘consequences will follow’ for those who attack officers and damage property.

She wrote in The Sun that it has been a ‘very difficult week’ in the capital, with officers coming under attack as they tried to break up crowds.

Photos posted on social media show a park in Tottenham mostly covered in trash after a mass rave, with one person furiously commenting: ‘So they’ve just undone all the healing the environment had during lockdown.’

Another person suggested the issue was nothing compared to scenes outside Anfield football stadium, where thousands of Liverpool fans had gathered to celebrate to club’s Premier League win. 

Senior figures – including Home Secretary Priti Patel and ex-Met Police commissioner Lord Ian Blair – condemned the violence seen against police.

A Section 60 order – which gives police additional stop and search powers – was put in place last night but expired yesterday morning.  

Following unrest in Exmouth this week – including a mass brawl involving up to 200 people – Devon and Cornwall Police have put together a dispersal notice to ensure that those likely to cause trouble can be moved along. 

In Cheshire, police have vowed to crack down on a planned rave in Knutsford while in Staffordshire, officers warned potential revellers to ‘pause and think’.

A dispersal order remains in place in Liverpool after rowdy football fans set fire to the Liver Building as celebrations for Liverpool’s league win went on for a second night. 

Superintendent of Local Policing in Exeter, East and Mid-Devon, Antony Hart said: ‘Over the past two days there have been a number of incidents of disorder and anti-social behaviour in the area of Exmouth sea front and Orcombe Point. 

‘These reports have included large groups of young people and adults fighting, a serious assault and officers being verbally abused and spat at. Needless to say, this is absolutely unacceptable behaviour and it will not be tolerated.

‘As a result of these matters we will be putting out an increased high visibility police presence in the area over the coming days and those arriving can expect to be greeted by officers. Those who are involved in anti-social behaviour will be robustly dealt with, and we will seek out those who have committed offences.   

‘A Section 35 dispersal order has been put in place between 12pm on Friday 26 and 12pm on Sunday 28 June to cover the sea front area. 

‘Anyone who is formally given notice to disperse from the area must not return within the notice period and anyone who does is liable for arrest and prosecution.’ 

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: ‘There is information to suggest that a rave will be taking place within the Knutsford area this weekend. Numerous officers are out on patrol across the area checking in on hotspots.

‘If you have any information as to where this is taking place please call us on 101.’

Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Gareth Morgan said: ‘When you’re planning to go out, breach Covid guidance to ‘party’ and put yourself and everyone else at risk, can you pause and think about someone else other than yourself?’ 

Dame Cressida said the force had a ‘duty’ to stop unlawful music events during the Covid-19 pandemic and vowed: ‘We will be prepared this weekend.’ 

She said police were on the lookout for illegal parties after officers were injured in violent scenes in Brixton on Wednesday evening and in Notting Hill on Thursday. 

The commissioner said: ‘We have seen some large numbers of people completely flouting the health regulations, seeming not to care at all about their own or their families’ health and wanting to have large parties.

‘It is hot. Some people have drunk far too much. Some people are just angry and aggressive and some people are plain violent.

‘We will be prepared this weekend. We have officers all over London working hard again to try to keep the peace and to protect our public from violence and disorder.’

Home Secretary Priti Patel told the Daily Express that those who attack police officers ‘will be taken off our streets’. 

It comes after a week of disorder following multiple illegal parties held during the June mini-heatwave – in which temperatures have soared to 90F. 

A massive block party took place in West Kilburn yesterday before moving to Maida Vale where police with shields and truncheons battled revellers.

It marked the third night of unrest after raves Brixton and Notting Hill which both turned violent and led to police injuries. 

In Manchester, police have attended dozens of illegal raves over the past week, with revellers leaving behind piles of rubbish after being dispersed. Greater Manchester Police broke up 39 gatherings in Greater Manchester on Thursday alone.  

And in Cardiff, piles of hippy crack canisters and empty beer bottles were left behind at late night parties in the bay area to the south of the city.

Cardiff City Council said: ‘With the recent warm weather and the lockdown starting to ease, we appreciate that residents want to spend more time outside. 

‘What isn’t acceptable is for residents to leave their litter in parks and open spaces, ruining them for everyone else, and expecting someone else to clear up the mess’.

Visit Cardiff Bay said: ‘Please don’t treat (Cardiff Bay) like a rubbish tip and ruin it for others – put your litter in the bins provided, or if they’re full, take it home with you.’ 

One officer was injured and five police vehicles trashed at an illegal party attended by 150 people in Longsight, Manchester this week. 

Police broke up 39 gatherings in Greater Manchester on Thursday alone. 

It follows three raves earlier this month, during which a teenager was raped, three people were stabbed and a man died of a suspected drug overdose.

In Carrington, there were reports of three stabbings at a 2,000-strong party, including one which left an 18-year-old man with life-threatening injuries. Two other men, 25 and 26, were also injured.

Police said they are also investigating the rape of an 18-year-old woman who attended the Carrington event. 

In Oldham, a 20-year-old died of a drug overdose during a party of 4,000. 

Illegal ravers also caused chaos on the M1 near Leeds as well, after police attempted to break-up a ‘huge crowd’ of young people partying in a concrete tunnel near to the busy motorway.

And a fight erupted among 100 people at a beach in Bridgend, South Wales. 

Commissioner Cressida Dick said scenes from Notting Hill showed ‘very unacceptable behaviour but very much less serious’ than the trouble in Brixton. 

The commissioner, who noted some injuries may not be reported until after the incident, suggested the number of police injuries is ‘heading up to 140-odd officers, I think, in the last three weeks’.

Ms Patel said: ‘The police have my full support in upholding the rule of law and tackling this thuggery.’

She added: ‘I want to see those responsible arrested, brought to justice and taken off our streets – before they put even more people in danger.’ 

Ken Marsh, of the Met Police Federation, said: ‘We have got to get a grip. We need to be in control and I think we will see a more robust strategy put in place.’ 

Former-commissioner Lord Blair told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme said: ‘It cannot be right that this level of injury to officers is seen as acceptable. 

‘This is not a normal situation where an occupation carries this sort of risk of injury every day. That seen as the policewoman riding her horse and being smashed against the road sign because people were so angry is just not appropriate.

‘Obviously this is a matter for courts and sentencing but I also think it is actually a matter for public conversation. This should not be like this.’