Sadiq Khan has warned against any repeat of “utterly unacceptable” scenes of disorder in Clapham earlier this week, saying culprits who assault and intimidate shop workers will face the full force of the law.
The mayor of London said more arrests would be made in the coming days, and urged anyone considering more violence over the Easter weekend to think again.
Earlier this week, police urged parents to “take responsibility” after shops were stormed by young people in Clapham, south-west London, on Saturday and Tuesday. Officers said the incidents were caused by a social media trend for swarming the streets. Six teenage girls have been arrested so far and the Metropolitan police put a 48-hour dispersal order in place on Tuesday.
Footage of Tuesday’s incident showed hundreds of young people gathering on Clapham High Street, and fireworks were set off on nearby Clapham Common. The antisocial behaviour took place after link-ups were arranged on social media sites including TikTok and Snapchat. In a statement, the Metropolitan police urged social media companies to “play their part by taking responsibility for content on their platforms that promotes or incites disorder”.
Shopkeepers on Clapham High Street have described having to lock their doors after the scenes. Sheikh Awais, who works at a chicken shop, Rooster Spot, told PA Media: “Many children came to the high street and police were catching some people but then at least 70 to 80 children came into our shop as well.
“It is damaging for business, in the evening it is peak time, everybody is going home and buying food.”
Yash, who works at Olive and Meze next door to Sainsbury’s, said: “I was working here and I witnessed it all. Once the police came to Sainsbury’s, they ran to McDonald’s and there was a fight.”
Businesses said it appeared to be mainly food shops that were targeted, with the local branch of McDonald’s reporting the theft of food.
View image in fullscreenSheikh Awais, who works at Clapham High Street chicken shop Roosters Spot, said ‘at least 70 to 80 children came into our shop’ during the incident on Tuesday, adding ‘it is damaging for business’ Photograph: Blaise Cloran/PAIn a statement before the bank holiday, Khan said: “The scenes we saw in Clapham earlier this week were utterly unacceptable. Not only did they spread fear in the local community, but assaulting and intimidating hard-working retail staff and police officers are serious offences. The culprits will face the full force of the law.
“My message to anyone thinking of going out this weekend to commit crime in our shops or on our high streets is that your actions will have consequences. You will be identified, held responsible and punished accordingly.
“The Met have a strong policing plan in place which includes increasing officer numbers in hotspot areas and using dispersal orders where necessary. They will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to any form of criminality.
“The police are also working with social media companies to stop footage circulating on their platforms that encourages or coordinates criminal behaviour. The dissemination of viral online content which promotes violence and theft can have damaging real-life consequences both for frontline workers and communities across the country. It breaks down our social fabric and undermines community cohesion.”
He said huge progress had been made in London over recent years to reduce many serious crimes, including violence with injury, burglary and homicides, but the incidents in Clapham were “completely inexcusable and unacceptable, and show why we must continue to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime”.
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, claimed earlier on Thursday that the Clapham unrest was evidence of “societal breakdown”. He also has urged people not to blame social media for the disorder, instead saying people who “behaved in such an appalling, frightening and intimidatory manner” were at fault.
