Why aren't we discussing the kids running riot in London and Birmingham off the back of a TikTok trend? [title edited by MNHQ at user's request]

[EvangelicalAboutButteredToast]

If there’s already a thread I couldn’t see it.

I know it’s worrying. There is an area not far from me that this has been happening for a while. I feel it’s the beginning of the break down of society.
If the police can’t control and stop it where will it lead to next.

Lock them in the shops. Call their parents. (Or tear gas because that’s what happens if you riot). Charge them for damages.

Why was it only girls that got caught .

Mumsnet is correcting the title for me 🤦🏻‍♀️

Why aren’t we discussing it? I understand the young people are out of school/college and have nothing better to do than follow instruction to ensue chaos off the internet, but it’s bloody worrisome considering we just don’t have the police numbers (or court sessions) to adequately deal with civil unrest.

Society really does feel like it’s just teetering. High unemployment has historically always been such a negative thing for law and order. I believe part of the reason Tony Blair advocated for higher education and uni participation was to keep young people busy. Better to have them studying The Spice Girls for three years than have them wandering around aimlessly with the potential to cause problems.

I don’t want to be a conspiracy theorist but driving lawlessness enmasse through social media seems a very handy tactic to me.

I haven't heard anything about this. Have you got a link?

Firm action needs to be taken. Arrest and give severe punishments for those found guilty. This type of behaviour makes everyone feel unsafe so has a major impact on society. It can't be tolerated as no one can behaviour like that without consequences, especially as so much of it was filmed so evidence won't be an issue.

https://metro.co.uk/2026/04/01/families-barricaded-inside-shops-gangs-teenagers-swarm-high-street-27799050/amp/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03/31/youths-overwhelm-marks-and-spencer-store-police/

I tried to find a Guardian link, as I know that’s the only paper many people on here will read, but couldn’t see it covered in there.

I go to Clapham a bit! Will be on my lookout. In the Clapham junction M&S last night I saw a man run out with a huge plant, presumably shoplifting, as then store staff came to front of store looking for him.

Its been going on for a while. It seems to be on the last day of term/ the day they break up.

Haven't seen anything like this, but I was just in two local convenience stores looking for coffee, as we've run out. I only do top up shops there normally for fruit, veg, milk, bread etc. It was an eye-opener to see that all the jars of coffee in both Sainsbury's and the Co-op were in plastic boxes, presumably as some anti-shoplifting measure. Shoplifting, burglaries, car theft, muggings, pickpocketing and so on used to be the bread and butter of the police force. Now it feels as if they issue crime numbers and not much more. Not good enough.

Ah fair weather knob heads out already. That’s come round quick.

every few years we have this don’t we, teens and twats having a quick riot. Then realising they are fucking up their future and we get the daily mail sad faces.

I hadn't heard of this before but assume it's why there is a 36 hour dispersal order in Solihull Town centre. Solihull used to be such a nice place to shop but it's rapidly going to the dogs - although it's not as yet as bad as Birmingham City centre.

It’s the incremental rise of crime that emboldens people further. Shoplifting has become pretty acceptable due to food price inflation, once we tolerate shoplifting I guess then we have to accept looting.

if people running after each other with machetes and zombie knives are hardly worth a mention and phone and jewellery heists in broad daylight are merely crime numbers, I can’t help wonder what’s next.

What is the trend?

We have had a couple of incidents in our town (in Scotland) in the last week where young/school kids have attacked lone men (one group aged 12-17 is up for attempted murder at the moment). No details from police yet on motives. Hopefully be coincidence and they are not related to a trend from TikTok meaning there could be more!

It's because there are no consequences for committing crimes anymore. Prisons need to be made into tough hellholes that no one ever wants to get sent back to - and no contact with the outside world/relatives while they're in there. Less holiday camp complete with drugs, mobiles and gaming consoles - more Alcatraz.

It’s fucking awful. We had a group of balaclava wearing teens around our local school’s the other week, apparently another TikTok trend.

@MissMarplesNiece I couldn’t agree more.

I’m not on TikTok so god knows. I assume it’s something like ‘everyone meet up and trash your local town and nick stuff whilst also lighting some things on fire.’

I assume it seems like excellent fun at the time and then one day you realise you now live in a shit hole and there’s no money to fix stuff.

Entitled twats.

I’m surprised this isn’t being spoken about in the general news on tv. I grew up and worked in these areas and it’s always been awful. I think maybe people just don’t care anymore. I really don’t know. I went to school in Brixton and the girls in my class used to come to school with knives hidden in their socks as they were scared of getting jumped on the way home.

I was in my local city on Monday. Big crowds of of teenagers in the shopping centre. Barrelling through people who were trying to shop. It made me feel uneasy, like something was going to crack off big time. Never been so glad to get out of the city. I'm normally confident in crowds but there was just a funny feeling on Monday

There were 3 heathland fires started deliberately the weekend in Dorset - I have no words for these effing idiots. Who's breeding these morons?

A lot of their parents don't care unfortunately, there needs to be more expected from parents.

Yes I saw the Clapham thing online

My local large city has similar. Girls dressed in hardly anything considering the weather, acting pissed, screaming and shouting alongside boys. Pushing through everyone trying to get a reaction. Probably only about twenty of them but it’s very attention seeking. I’m not sure I felt genuinely worried but I did find myself passing them all in such a way that I wouldn’t draw attention to myself, as it seemed like they fancied kicking off at someone.

Age wise I think about 13.

Btw, we are certainly not ALL Guardian readers. Thats a shocking slur 😮😂

I know most people won’t click on a link unless it’s the Guardisn or the BBC. Trying to select acceptable links on here is like trying to find the perfect ripe avocado.