Large groups of teenagers gathered in Clapham, London, on Tuesday evening, causing disorder and anti-social behavior. The gatherings were organized via social media as 'link-up' events, promoted on platforms like Snapchat and TikTok. Police responded to the disorder on Tuesday evening, issuing a dispersal order.
Multiple police officers were assaulted during the incidents, with one officer taken to hospital with an arm injury. Teenage girls were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and theft. Shops including Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, McDonald's, and Boots closed early or were barricaded due to the disorder.
Terrified families and shoppers were barricaded inside stores for safety, and employees at local shops said they were scared during the chaos. Fires were lit and fireworks were set off on Clapham Common. A similar incident occurred in Clapham on Saturday, involving looting at Marks and Spencer and arrests.
Around 100 or more police officers were involved in the response on Tuesday. The disorder on Tuesday began around late afternoon or evening, with varying reports on exact timing. By around 10:30 PM on Tuesday, the commotion had died down and police had dispersed most participants.
Police are reviewing CCTV and body-worn video to identify more offenders and have warned of further arrests. The Metropolitan Police has a robust policing plan for the Bank Holiday weekend and promises a zero-tolerance approach. Police have urged parents to take responsibility for their children and young people to consider the consequences of their actions.
There are fears of copycat incidents and further 'link-ups' during the Easter holidays across the UK. A digital flyer on Snapchat promoted the 'Clapham Courts return link up' for Saturday, March 28, encouraging attendees to bring balloons and cannabis. Burgess Park and Crystal Palace Park in south London are touted as possible locations for future 'link-ups'.
A police officer played basketball with young men at Clapham Common after the disorder had ended. A gathering also occurred in Birmingham last Friday, causing shops to shut and police to issue a dispersal order. Several key unknowns remain following these incidents.
It is unclear what specific social media accounts or users organized the 'link-up' events, and whether they are facing any legal consequences. The total number of individuals involved in the disorder across both Saturday and Tuesday incidents has not been confirmed. The exact extent of damage and theft from shops like Boots, Marks and Spencer, and others is unknown.
Authorities have not disclosed any confirmed plans or intelligence about future 'link-up' events in Clapham or other UK locations during the Easter holidays. The specific measures included in the police's 'robust and visible' policing plan for the Bank Holiday weekend remain unspecified.