Kent Police disperse over 350 people in Thanet antisocial behaviour crackdown
More than 350 people were formally dispersed across Thanet between May and August as Kent Police tackled beach brawls and disorder. Officers made over 40 arrests and issued hundreds of dispersal notices.
Kent Police move on hundreds during summer crackdown on coastal disorder
More than 350 people were formally dispersed from seaside towns in Thanet between May and August, kentonline.co.uk reports, as Kent Police mounted a sustained crackdown on beach brawls, underage drinking and widespread disorder.
Officers issued more than 280 dispersal notices across Thanet, with around 70 additional notices recorded in Herne Bay and Whitstable. Recipients were required to leave designated areas immediately, facing arrest if they refused or returned within the specified period.
In Thanet alone, police also issued more than 40 Community Protection Notices, made over 40 arrests and seized eight vehicles across the four-month operation. Hundreds more individuals were dispersed informally, outside the formal notice process.
Bank Holiday surge in Broadstairs
The operation was partly triggered by chaotic scenes over the late May Bank Holiday weekend, when hundreds of teenagers descended on Broadstairs for a gathering promoted on social media as the "Broadstairs Biggest Beach Link-up". Footage showed officers moving crowds on at Viking Bay amid reports of underage drinking and disorder. Some businesses closed early after staff were subjected to intimidation.
Six arrests were made across Thanet that weekend, with almost 40 people formally moved on. Officers seized music speakers, more than 50 nitrous oxide canisters and multiple crates of beer and spirits.
June violence on beaches and at railway station
Further disorder erupted during a spell of hot weather in June, when fights broke out on beaches in both Broadstairs and Margate. Three teenagers were arrested on suspicion of assault after a brawl at Viking Bay left a man in his 20s with a head wound.
In Margate, police pursued and arrested an 18-year-old following reports of someone throwing punches at multiple people on the beach. Violence also broke out at Margate railway station, where several people — including a security guard — were reported to have been assaulted. Access to the station was restricted as large numbers of visitors attempted to leave the town simultaneously.
Command response and community messaging
Chief Inspector Ian Swallow, district commander for Thanet, said the operation had kept disorder to a minimum.
"We made it very clear before the summer that there is no excuse for committing antisocial behaviour and that we would tackle it head-on," Swallow said. "Through the widespread use of preventative orders and arrests, we were able to keep disorder in our coastal towns and on our beaches to a minimum."
Swallow added that tackling antisocial behaviour remained "a year-round commitment", and thanked residents and businesses for their positive response to increased high-visibility patrols.
Officers also delivered presentations to more than 1,200 students to highlight the risks of becoming criminalised through antisocial behaviour. Police worked alongside Community Alcohol Partnerships to address underage alcohol sales, while British Transport Police, Southeastern and Network Rail were involved in efforts to manage disorder on trains and at stations.
Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)