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Original poster

Huge increase in large groups of teenagers terrorising the public

288 replies

Shopaholic100 · 26/02/2023 01:08

Has anyone else noticed a huge increase in large groups of teenagers terrorising the public? I was in York today and there were huge groups of teenage boys causing havoc, screaming, swearing, shouting and pulling peoples hats off and throwing them on the floor as they walked past. At the same time another huge group of girls were also screaming and kicking full cans of fizzy drinks around so it was squirting everywhere. Milton Keynes a few weeks ago was the same with large groups running round John Lewis causing havoc whilst security were trying to get them to leave. In another part of the shopping centre another group were causing trouble too. I’ve seen the same in London too. I used to see small groups sometimes do silly things, but the size of the groups is much larger and threatening and they seem fearless. Anyone else noticed this?

OP posts:
BrigitteBond · 26/02/2023 10:50

ItsCalledAConversation · 26/02/2023 10:25

Sorry what does Tiktok being a Chinese company have to do with antisocial kids in the UK? You’ll have to clarify, what is the connection you’re making here?

Show quote history

It really isn't a huge stretch of the imagination that a foreign state with access to the algorithm that decides which videos are presented to users could use that to spread unrest.

It's no more than the US have done for years - spreading propaganda and encouraging rebellion against regimes they're targeting.

User135644 · 26/02/2023 10:54

DogsPyjamas · 26/02/2023 10:49

@Babyleafy it looks like the riots in the 80s were mainly to be due to police treatment of the black community.
Whereas these issues now are being done more for fun? Sense of control? Notoriety? Feeling of community(with the other teens)?
I agree deprivation plays a big part. I also wonder if a lot of community spirit was brought about in the war days and as the generations go by maybe we are losing that on the whole.

Law and order was strong in the Thatcher era but there was tons of social problems that her policies caused (and we've never recovered from as a country, while Tories still idolise her and her policies 40 years on).

Problem now is we've got the Thatcherite legacy of all these social problems that things like austerity cause, but the added problem of the police giving the streets up. I fear large scale riots maybe this summer.

Crumpetdisappointment · 26/02/2023 10:55

i did notice huge groups of teens in the town yesterday, but did not notice any terrorising.
their first freedom with better weather

BalloonInvestigator · 26/02/2023 11:03

BrigitteBond · 26/02/2023 10:50

It really isn't a huge stretch of the imagination that a foreign state with access to the algorithm that decides which videos are presented to users could use that to spread unrest.

It's no more than the US have done for years - spreading propaganda and encouraging rebellion against regimes they're targeting.

Show quote history

Large scale civil unrest of any kind makes the UK an even less enticing market than it is now.

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 26/02/2023 11:04

Babyleafy · 26/02/2023 10:14

Memory is a strange thing there was terrible behaviour in the 80s. Toxteth, Moss Side, Brixton, Handsworth, Broadwater Farm. All brought about by many of the same things young people are facing now mostly a Tory government

But that was limited to areas of social deprivation. I don’t remember those gangs going to cause havoc in city centres, still less ‘ leafy’ small towns.
I’ll be interested to see the magic wand that a’Labour’ government are going to wave to fix this. Perhaps they will get round to it once they’ve fixed everything else you like to blame on people who don’t vote in the same way as you. Here’s hoping.

MopeyDopey · 26/02/2023 11:06

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 26/02/2023 11:04

But that was limited to areas of social deprivation. I don’t remember those gangs going to cause havoc in city centres, still less ‘ leafy’ small towns.
I’ll be interested to see the magic wand that a’Labour’ government are going to wave to fix this. Perhaps they will get round to it once they’ve fixed everything else you like to blame on people who don’t vote in the same way as you. Here’s hoping.

Show quote history

This. It's just everywhere now.

Mira28 · 26/02/2023 11:09

Maverickess · 26/02/2023 10:44

I don’t know why the human rights of the individual must come before the human rights of those they are abusing.

This, I think is a big part of the problem, we're all encouraged to understand the impact that poverty, poor parenting, abuse and lack of opportunity has on these children, but, no one is thinking about the impact of their behaviour on the people subjected to it.

There was a fairly local video doing the rounds a couple of weeks ago where a group of kids (just teens, but most looked like they had barely reached puberty) were terrorising people going in and out of a shop, were throwing things, dragging litter bins around, threatening people and ultimately as the staff and security guard barricaded themselves in the shop, they used scooters and a litter bin to break the glass in the doors.
The staff and security guard were filming them and they actually didn't care because when the footage hits the internet, they become hero's rather than the behaviour being seen as unacceptable, a large number of responses were finding it funny or saying things like "Just kids messing around".
The police are scarce and don't have a lot to tackle this behaviour with, they can't really touch them to remove them because then it becomes about police violence towards children, and an ASBO or similar is like a badge of honour to them rather than a deterrent.

I do think though, that schools need to look at some of their policies and how they're contributing towards this, not in any way the teachers fault, but, uniform demands for specific items and standards and punishment if this cannot be provided leads to parents and kids feeling singled out and punished for being in poverty and not being able to afford those things - I've been on the other side of that with my daughter put into "inclusion" (which actually meant being put in a room with booths to spend the entire day without interaction with anyone else, sso definitely not inclusive 🤷🏼‍♀️) because her shoes broke and I had to wait until I got paid to replace them - the very opposite of what these uniform policies are supposed to do by making sure everyone is wearing the same so there's no one who is obviously poor etc etc.
She got tortured by some other kids on the bus and over social media because the school actually just highlighted the fact that she was from a family having a tough time at that point. And we were encouraged to understand those kids poor background as an excuse for their behaviour - but didn't have the same courtesy extended to us regarding the uniform.

She didn't start any riots or anything, but the whole thing was totally unnecessary and punished her for circumstances beyond her or my control, and no choice to change school either, it's the only one in the area. She then felt like school was against her and was less likely to engage, they were more bothered about what was on her feet than her education and improving the chances of her and kids like her getting out of the cycle - which I feel is their job as a school really.

So I can see how people who have this sort of thing happen repeatedly, start to hit back because they're pretty much powerless to change the reasons they're being punished in the first place.

So sorry to read what happened to your daughter 😕
Also agree with the post you quoted.

Atethehalloweenchocs · 26/02/2023 11:10

I live in a tiny town in the midlands, kind of place most people wont have heard of. During the snow last month there was a huge gang of kids throwing snowballs at cars - which does not sound much but they were running in front first to make you slow down, then pelting the windscreens, seemed to be trying to cause a crash rather than just childish hi jinks. I am afraid for our future, if I was very young I think that would me really angry. Perhaps he acing it is partly because of that?

SerendipityJane · 26/02/2023 11:10

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_panic

In the 50s it was teddy boys, 60s it was mods and rockers. In the 70s skinheads and punks. In the 80s it was probably me.

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:12

SNWannabe · 26/02/2023 03:32

Nope can’t say I’ve seen anything like this. Live in Scotland in a fairly large town and spend time in Edinburgh regularly, and we were in London last week too and saw no hordes of teens.

I can promise you it's a huge problem in Edinburgh. I see it, my parents see it and there's a lot on Edinburgh SM too. I've often seen gangs of these ratbags on their mopeds in balaclavas racing about on their mopeds in parks or on pavements. They've ruined football pitches, stopping other kids from playing sports. One day they're going to kill a little kid or a dog. They don't care. They cause problems on busses and in shops; emergency services got attacked at Halloween. That was a big story nationally but there's plenty that is barely reported.
There was a huge fight very near where my sister lives with one teen being badly beaten up. I have a teenage nephew and I'm very worried he'll get set on.
Saw lots of issues in London too but it was a bit different when I lived there as I think some of this is SM driven.

Tekkentime · 26/02/2023 11:13

Atethehalloweenchocs · 26/02/2023 11:10

I live in a tiny town in the midlands, kind of place most people wont have heard of. During the snow last month there was a huge gang of kids throwing snowballs at cars - which does not sound much but they were running in front first to make you slow down, then pelting the windscreens, seemed to be trying to cause a crash rather than just childish hi jinks. I am afraid for our future, if I was very young I think that would me really angry. Perhaps he acing it is partly because of that?

Yes, playing 'chicken' with cars, covering rocks in snow and pelting them at cars.

Madeintowerhamlets · 26/02/2023 11:17

YukoandHiro · 26/02/2023 08:50

Haven't seen any of this and I live in London.

I grew up in a small town. Honestly this reminds me exactly why I left.

Same here

CooCooNut · 26/02/2023 11:18

StressedToTheMaxxx · 26/02/2023 09:53

@CooCooNut @itsacarveup are there any particular areas in Edinburgh that are bad for this? We're thinking of moving there for work.

It's happening all over to be honest but Leith, City Centre and Niddrie are to name but a few where there have been reports in the local news recently.

Maverickess · 26/02/2023 11:19

@Mira28 thank you, it was a few years ago now as she's currently at university, but it wasn't very nice to live through and see the impact on DD and it was just unnecessary.
She'd always had the correct uniform and equipment for school, behaved for the most part and when she didn't and the school issued punishment, I supported that and she got sanctions at home too.
It just felt really unfair especially as the kids who made her life hell for a few weeks afterwards didn't have any concequences for that, they were given a pass for being from deprived backgrounds.

Neighbours87 · 26/02/2023 11:19

Yes they’re hanging round the shopping centres on bikes where I live. I think they’re very vulnerable to grooming, county lines etc. it’s probably a result of 12 years of austerity all the the youth services have been cut

QuertyGirl · 26/02/2023 11:21

Wrong thread!

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:21

Maverickess · 26/02/2023 10:44

I don’t know why the human rights of the individual must come before the human rights of those they are abusing.

This, I think is a big part of the problem, we're all encouraged to understand the impact that poverty, poor parenting, abuse and lack of opportunity has on these children, but, no one is thinking about the impact of their behaviour on the people subjected to it.

There was a fairly local video doing the rounds a couple of weeks ago where a group of kids (just teens, but most looked like they had barely reached puberty) were terrorising people going in and out of a shop, were throwing things, dragging litter bins around, threatening people and ultimately as the staff and security guard barricaded themselves in the shop, they used scooters and a litter bin to break the glass in the doors.
The staff and security guard were filming them and they actually didn't care because when the footage hits the internet, they become hero's rather than the behaviour being seen as unacceptable, a large number of responses were finding it funny or saying things like "Just kids messing around".
The police are scarce and don't have a lot to tackle this behaviour with, they can't really touch them to remove them because then it becomes about police violence towards children, and an ASBO or similar is like a badge of honour to them rather than a deterrent.

I do think though, that schools need to look at some of their policies and how they're contributing towards this, not in any way the teachers fault, but, uniform demands for specific items and standards and punishment if this cannot be provided leads to parents and kids feeling singled out and punished for being in poverty and not being able to afford those things - I've been on the other side of that with my daughter put into "inclusion" (which actually meant being put in a room with booths to spend the entire day without interaction with anyone else, sso definitely not inclusive 🤷🏼‍♀️) because her shoes broke and I had to wait until I got paid to replace them - the very opposite of what these uniform policies are supposed to do by making sure everyone is wearing the same so there's no one who is obviously poor etc etc.
She got tortured by some other kids on the bus and over social media because the school actually just highlighted the fact that she was from a family having a tough time at that point. And we were encouraged to understand those kids poor background as an excuse for their behaviour - but didn't have the same courtesy extended to us regarding the uniform.

She didn't start any riots or anything, but the whole thing was totally unnecessary and punished her for circumstances beyond her or my control, and no choice to change school either, it's the only one in the area. She then felt like school was against her and was less likely to engage, they were more bothered about what was on her feet than her education and improving the chances of her and kids like her getting out of the cycle - which I feel is their job as a school really.

So I can see how people who have this sort of thing happen repeatedly, start to hit back because they're pretty much powerless to change the reasons they're being punished in the first place.

On local SM I saw someone justifying the horrible behaviour of teens by saying they were deprived or had trouble at home. I have to say that at my school the kids who were deprived (and I mean seriously deprived, in foster care and very difficult lives) were not the trouble makers. They usually got bullied for not having nice clothes and were quiet and put upon. I had a pretty awful upbringing and never caused bother. So I don't buy it.
I don't buy the 'nothing to do' argument either. If you live in Edinburgh or london there's loads to do. You've got free busses, there's loads if you want to find it. They just can't be arsed. It's not a justification for going round harassing pensioners (my dad has had run ins with these gangs and it's left him quite shaken).

Eatentoomanyroses · 26/02/2023 11:22

There are planned ‘protests’ at our local secondary. I think Sunday night dread for the staff that have to go in tomorrow is an understatement.

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:25

Eatentoomanyroses · 26/02/2023 11:22

There are planned ‘protests’ at our local secondary. I think Sunday night dread for the staff that have to go in tomorrow is an understatement.

My nephew gets totally exasperated with the dickheads at his school. It's not regarded as a 'good' school, but the teachers are fine. He just says there are too many kids who don't want to learn. Hence why I send my kids private. If someone caused a tenth of the trouble that he tells me about, they'd be kicked out. It's not fair on the ones like him who actually want to learn.

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:28

Woodchiponthewall · 26/02/2023 08:55

I was reading the protest thread yesterday and felt exactly the same as a teacher. Absolutely aghast at the cheerleading from parents about the students right to protest. So many parents seem to unwittingly enable terrible behaviour by having no boundaries at home. When they come up against very reasonable boundaries at school (you can’t wander to the toilet whenever you want for a skive/you need to follow a uniform policy) they think a fundamental right has been taken away.

I felt the same! Did the more sensible parents stay off that thread?!
I've got a friend who lives in a rough area. Her daughter is 11. The stories the daughter tell me make my hair stand on end. Already my friend says that the teachers don't even bother phoning the parents of most of the kids in the class if they cause trouble, because they know the parents won't care. They still phone her, because they know she'll actually give a shit.

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:32

CooCooNut · 26/02/2023 11:18

It's happening all over to be honest but Leith, City Centre and Niddrie are to name but a few where there have been reports in the local news recently.

Show quote history

Wester Hailes too. Plus the Meadows - lots of problems there.

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:39

YukoandHiro · 26/02/2023 08:50

Haven't seen any of this and I live in London.

I grew up in a small town. Honestly this reminds me exactly why I left.

It happens in Edinburgh...that's a reasonably big city. I believe it happens in Glasgow too.
I've also seen plenty of obnoxious gangs of teens when I lived in London. One time one of them (a girl; seemed drunk) grabbed a heavy glass vase from an outside table at a cafe and threw it into the road. It was lucky she didn't seriously hurt anyone. No one did anything.

CooCooNut · 26/02/2023 11:40

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:32

Wester Hailes too. Plus the Meadows - lots of problems there.

Show quote history

Yeah, they're everywhere! Portobello, Broomhouse... I could go on and on. Sad times and very scary.

woodhill · 26/02/2023 11:44

Sounds awful

I work with some lovely teenagers on the whole but I understand what you mean by the pack mentality and behaviour has got worse I would say over the 20 years' I have been in that environment