MP defends UK purchasing centre’s ‘cheap’ ban on unaccompanied youngsters
A Conservative Party MP has mentioned described draconian restrictions at a purchasing centre in southeast London as “reasonable and proportionate”.
Unaccompanied youngsters beneath 16 are banned from coming into the Glades in Bromley after an incident earlier this 12 months when 4 cops have been injured as they tried to disperse a big group of youths.
Speaking to the Express, the MP for Bromley Sir Bob Neill mentioned: “Given the problems we have seen in Bromley Town Centre in recent months, some of which I have witnessed myself, I believe these limited restrictions are, unfortunately, a reasonable and proportionate response.”
The Glades purchasing centre plans to ban unaccompanied youngsters from Friday after police have been injured in a struggle with a gaggle of younger individuals in the course of the Easter break.
Several Metropolitan Police officers have been injured within the incident on March 31.
Sir Bob Neill mentioned: “The anti-social behaviour that took place at the end of the Easter Term, in particular, caused real concern locally, with the violence that ensued, some of it quite serious, leading to a number of people, including officers, being injured.
“I’ve met beforehand with the senior administration of The Glades and liaise often with our native police crew.
“Together, working in conjunction with local schools, steps are being taken to address a problem that is caused by a very small minority. I will continue to do what I can to support those efforts.
“It is price stressing that these measures are solely being proposed for Friday 21 July itself, not by way of the length of the summer time holidays.”
In a letter to schools, police said children would not be allowed to enter the shopping centre unless they were accompanied by an adult.
Face coverings will also be banned under the new laws, and anyone wearing them will be asked to leave.
Alongside the face-covering ban, the Metropolitan Police said security guards will be stationed at the entrances to the shopping centre to enforce the rules.
The new rules come nearly four months after the original incident in March.
The Metropolitan Police had been called to the shopping centre after reports of a disturbance and a large group of young people behaving antisocially. The police said when they arrived at the scene, the large group failed to disperse.
Following the incident, five members of the group were arrested on suspicion of assaulting police and affray. Meanwhile, another young person was arrested for breaking a reported dispersal order.
Despite the vicious nature of the incident, the police said none of the injuries suffered were life-threatening.
The implementation of the rules at The Glades follows from a controversy over new rules put in place at a Morrisons in North Tyneside.
A mother was in uproar after security from the Killingsworth Morrisons asked her 13-year-old son to leave.
Unlike the youngsters in London, the teenager had not acted violently and had been trying to buy ingredients for a sausage and egg muffin.
The young man was escorted from the popular supermarket because the Morrisons branch had banned under-18s from entering unless they were accompanied by an adult.
In a statement, Morrisons mentioned: “The safety of our staff and customers is the most important thing for us and so we have temporarily introduced a ban while we look for a long-term solution.”