Home Secretary Suella Braverman has asserted that those responsible for the disorder witnessed in London's Oxford Street area should be diligently pursued and incarcerated. In response to
the recent clashes between baton-wielding police and a group of individuals, Braverman emphasized the necessity of preventing the lawlessness often witnessed in certain American cities from infiltrating the streets of the UK.
During the incident, which occurred on Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police made nine arrests and issued 34 dispersal orders to exclude individuals from the affected area. Furthermore, a broader Section 35 dispersal order encompassing a significant portion of the West End is in effect until Friday at 07:00 BST.
The altercation stemmed from social media videos encouraging people to gather and create disruption on Oxford Street. Braverman stressed the importance of supporting the police in their efforts to maintain public order, asserting that those responsible must be identified, pursued, and incarcerated. She expressed her confidence in the Metropolitan Police and has requested a comprehensive incident report.
On Wednesday afternoon, Oxford Street witnessed an increased police presence, including mounted officers and police vans, as well as groups of young individuals mingling with tourists and shoppers. While some shops closed their barriers to prevent unauthorized access, others remained open with security guards at the entrances. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan had urged people to avoid Oxford Street after viewing the social media videos, highlighting concerns about potential high-crime areas.
By evening, multiple fights broke out among the gathered crowd, leading to incidents of vandalism and theft attempts. The Met Police reported arrests for various offenses, including assaulting a police officer and breaching the dispersal order. Additionally, two individuals were arrested in Essex on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery based on online social media posts. Photo by David Woolfall, Wikimedia commons.