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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:
LetsGoFlyAKiteee · 26/02/2023 11:59

I think like said it's also cause of TikTox who can do something extreme and get likes or meet a challenge..

Someone posted on out local group about kids going round kicking in doors and running off. There's many people saying ooo it's kids being kids let them have fun we all did it then others saying no they're kicking in people's doors it's not okay!

itsgettingweird · 26/02/2023 12:02

Praying4Memory · 26/02/2023 08:43

Blame the Tory party. They got rid of all the places for kids to hang out and the cost of living crisis means their parents can't afford to keep them entertained.

They have no where else to go and nothing else to do so roam around making trouble as at least that is vaguely entertaining for a while.

Spot on.

Add to the validation they get via SM because it's all put on there and you have the perfect storm.

Disenfranchised kids who are suddenly "liked" by 1000's of people boosting their ego. What could possibly go wrong?

Whatabanana · 26/02/2023 12:20

I was attacked by a group of kids in Edinburgh back in 1999. They chased me home to my flat and managed to push the main door open as I tried to close it. I managed to push it closed again only by kicking one of them hard in the leg. They then managed to push it open again as I ran up the stairs, luckily they gave up as they couldn't see where I had gone. Terrifying! Definitely worse these days with people filming everything.

Peckhaminn · 26/02/2023 12:21

Yes major issue where we are in Sussex. There was a 13 year old boy who stabbed a 17 year old in a McDonald's near us at 5 in the afternoon!

Peckhaminn · 26/02/2023 12:25

Groups of skanky boys and girls terrorising general public. Problem is because they are children you can't do anything about it! If they punch you, attack you etc you'd be the one getting locked up for hitting a minor!
Where we are it's becoming worse and worse, everyday there's news about shops being vandalised by teenagers. Where we live we are constantly having to make sure our car doors are locked because we have a group of thugs (teenagers) coming around and trying to steal cars and get into peoples home! It's awful, the parents must be partly to blame. It's all about upbringing

dameofdilemma · 26/02/2023 12:25

Oddly this isn't something I've seen much of in the areas I live in and visit in London.
Maybe the teens are a bit wary of attracting too much attention (there are a lot more people about generally and you never know who you might be pissing off...).

Have however seen it in (what I thought to be) affluent, safe towns elsewhere and been quite surprised.

Agree the rise of TikTok led behaviour is encouraging this.

Florenz · 26/02/2023 12:39

The police need to crack down on this 1000%. Stop caring so much about "human rights" and worry about the rights of law-abiding citizens not to be terrorised by gangs of teens.

cakeorwine · 26/02/2023 12:56

Well, going into York this afternoon so will keep my eyes out

2bazookas · 26/02/2023 13:00

No.
Luckily I'm sure York, Milton Keynes and John Lewis have loads of security cameras and the local police will be naming and shaming those kids before long.

KattyKattyKatz · 26/02/2023 13:01

This has gone on for centuries

KattyKattyKatz · 26/02/2023 13:02

LubaLuca · 26/02/2023 07:22

I've read in the local news about gangs of youths in one town causing chaos, in and around McDonalds. The poor staff in there are terrorised.

It's going on all over the country. Teens treat Mc Donald's like a youth club in the evening.

Babyleafy · 26/02/2023 13:03

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.

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I know isn't it awful that the poor and disenfranchised now have the means to travel? Blame the £2 bus fares....

woodhill · 26/02/2023 13:34

Florenz · 26/02/2023 12:39

The police need to crack down on this 1000%. Stop caring so much about "human rights" and worry about the rights of law-abiding citizens not to be terrorised by gangs of teens.

Well said

VoteTurnipGetTurnip · 26/02/2023 13:38

These are the kids that were left alone with no school and less parental supervision than ideal during repeated lockdowns, all a bit too old for parents to take time off work, and no social services visits/CAMHS appointments during a time when even the most cohesive family units felt the strain, as they headed into secondary. Now services are too strapped for cash and staff to be able to do much intervention and they've already had around three years of being left to their own devices anyway.

Rebel2 · 26/02/2023 13:51

VoteTurnipGetTurnip · 26/02/2023 13:38

These are the kids that were left alone with no school and less parental supervision than ideal during repeated lockdowns, all a bit too old for parents to take time off work, and no social services visits/CAMHS appointments during a time when even the most cohesive family units felt the strain, as they headed into secondary. Now services are too strapped for cash and staff to be able to do much intervention and they've already had around three years of being left to their own devices anyway.

I don't think it is. It was happening near me way before lockdown, I'm talking 2012
The police said to me as they grow up out of it, it's then the younger siblings that replace them basically

Kids knocking on a door is funny age 8/9 but when they're all in black at midnight and 6ft tall it's not
Also massive issues with electric scooters near us

MrsMurphyIWish · 26/02/2023 14:16

VoteTurnipGetTurnip · 26/02/2023 13:38

These are the kids that were left alone with no school and less parental supervision than ideal during repeated lockdowns, all a bit too old for parents to take time off work, and no social services visits/CAMHS appointments during a time when even the most cohesive family units felt the strain, as they headed into secondary. Now services are too strapped for cash and staff to be able to do much intervention and they've already had around three years of being left to their own devices anyway.

Can we please stop blaming Covid for everything? I live in a city - antisocial behaviour was rife before covid. Personally, I think social media use is a major factor. I grew up in one of the most deprived parts of the country. Gangs just used to congregate is certain parts of my area. Now we have coordinated “strikes” and “one-up-manship”. An antisocial post will get so many likes, someone wants to “improve” on that so behaviour escalates. As a teacher, I abhor TiTok. It has created so many problems in my school.

User135644 · 26/02/2023 14:17

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.

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Is there one thing the Tories have improved in their 13 years in power? There's a whole lot that's got worse. With that comes depravation, poverty and crime.

Austerity in particular was a disaster and an economic fallacy that caused more problems than it was supposed to solve. And that's without getting into Brexit.

Nor do I see Labour doing much better but long periods of Tory rule have really bad social consequences.

Babyleafy · 26/02/2023 14:19

MrsMurphyIWish · 26/02/2023 14:16

Can we please stop blaming Covid for everything? I live in a city - antisocial behaviour was rife before covid. Personally, I think social media use is a major factor. I grew up in one of the most deprived parts of the country. Gangs just used to congregate is certain parts of my area. Now we have coordinated “strikes” and “one-up-manship”. An antisocial post will get so many likes, someone wants to “improve” on that so behaviour escalates. As a teacher, I abhor TiTok. It has created so many problems in my school.

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I don't think its going to be helpful to deny that Covid and the response to it was a major trauma for much of the population. It is going to have a lasting affect in many varied ways

User135644 · 26/02/2023 14:25

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 11:28

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.

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Why are state schools just allowing the little bastards to run amok? Why won't they enforce discipline.

Kick them out the class, suspend them, expel them. No tolerance is the only way to deal with unruly brats. Give them an inch.

Babyleafy · 26/02/2023 14:28

User135644 · 26/02/2023 14:25

Why are state schools just allowing the little bastards to run amok? Why won't they enforce discipline.

Kick them out the class, suspend them, expel them. No tolerance is the only way to deal with unruly brats. Give them an inch.

Show quote history

Yes, kicking them out of school will solve all of society's problems 😆

MrsMurphyIWish · 26/02/2023 14:28

My concern is that if we blame Covid we just excuse this pattern of behaviour, it implies the problem wasn’t there pre-Covid and once Covid is long forgotten (eg in a decade) then the problem will disappear.

I’ve grown up with this life and continue to see it as I didn’t leave my area. I’m 44. Covid wasn’t to blame - poverty is and it’s become worse because of social media. The teens I teach love the self validation SM gives them.

MrsMurphyIWish · 26/02/2023 14:32

User135644 · 26/02/2023 14:25

Why are state schools just allowing the little bastards to run amok? Why won't they enforce discipline.

Kick them out the class, suspend them, expel them. No tolerance is the only way to deal with unruly brats. Give them an inch.

Show quote history

I wish, would make my life easier! However, that won’t solve the problem. I’m know in my area the antisocial behaviour has been reported more widely this week as we’ve been on half term. People out and about just in the day are “seeing it”.

User135644 · 26/02/2023 14:33

Babyleafy · 26/02/2023 14:19

I don't think its going to be helpful to deny that Covid and the response to it was a major trauma for much of the population. It is going to have a lasting affect in many varied ways

Show quote history

Kids need to learn boundaries. Discipline has to be enforced. If that can't be done at home with useless parents then the school and the police need more powers.

Tekkentime · 26/02/2023 14:33

Babyleafy · 26/02/2023 14:28

Yes, kicking them out of school will solve all of society's problems 😆

Show quote history

Well it'll benefit good kids who want to learn and not be intimidated.

TimandGinger · 26/02/2023 14:35

User135644 · 26/02/2023 14:25

Why are state schools just allowing the little bastards to run amok? Why won't they enforce discipline.

Kick them out the class, suspend them, expel them. No tolerance is the only way to deal with unruly brats. Give them an inch.

Show quote history

Lots of reasons but I think one of them is that the Council still has to deal with them whatever setting they're in. So if they get kicked out of one school then what? It's still the council's problem. Private schools = act like a twat; you're out.