Police had to use a dispersal order to break up a large crowd of Londoners illegally partying on Saturday night near Portobello Road.
Alarming footage showed several people dressed up for a night out singing and dancing in one of London’s busiest areas despite a public health risk during the coronavirus pandemic.
A witness to the block party revealed that ‘hundreds’ attended the event in central London and claimed some people urinated on the locked-up food stalls belonging to market traders, took cocaine and defecated in the street.
Violent altercations also occurred at the block party, believed to be near Notting Hill, with police saying that the event was disruptive, illegal and posed a serious health risk.
Police had to break up a large party taking place on Portobello Road near Notting Hill, central London on Saturday night with a dispersion order
A witness to the block party revealed that ‘hundreds’ attended the event in central London and claimed some people urinated on the locked-up food stalls belonging to market traders, took cocaine and defecated in the street
The party, which was captured on video, was described as disruptive, illegal and police said it posed a serious health risk during the coronavirus pandemic
A Kensington and Chelsea Police spokesperson said on Twitter: ‘There is a s35 dispersal zone in the Portobello Road area.
‘Do NOT attend these areas. Officers have the power to move you on, and will do so. If you attend within this period you could be arrested.
‘Unlicensed music events are illegal. As well as being very disruptive to communities and posing an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission, they have in some cases led to violent incidents affecting both those attending and the officers who have to shut them down.’
Oliver Gerrish, believed to be a witness of the event, tweeted: ‘People defacating, taking cocaine, shouting and swearing – and in their hundreds. This is Portobello Road – our home – at this time of national crisis.
Members of the large crowd were seen dancing very close to each other like they were in a nightclub, which will remain closed until further notice
‘This country is a mess. We can’t leave our door on Friday or Saturday evenings without feeling we live by an open sewer. Sad.’
Another social media user, Michael Zeiter, said: ‘It’s been like this for weeks now – and nothing ever is done until late a night when trouble potential (and disturbance to the neighbours has been the greatest), which just makes no sense.’
Many people in the video were dancing like they were in a nightclub, an industry which Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed on Friday would remain shut until further notice.
Kensington & Chelsea Police made a dispersal order in order to break up the crowds, which did turn violent on Saturday evening
Members of the public complained about the block party on social media on Saturday evening
Pubs in England reopened at the beginning of July as lockdown regulations were eased, much to the delight of many young people across the country.
On Saturday, Britain announced a further 40 coronavirus-related deaths, taking the overall total to 45,273.
Today’s figures are down 140 from last Saturday’s coronavirus-associated deaths across the UK, as recorded by the Department for Health and Social Care.
Police’s five-hour battle to break up rave mob
By Scarlet Howes for the Mail on Sunday
Riot cops came under a hail of bricks and bottles as they shut down an illegal rave early yesterday – just hours after beleaguered police chiefs vowed a ‘swift and robust’ crackdown.
Officers were pelted with canisters of laughing gas and even a bicycle at the drug-fuelled party attended by up to 1,000 revellers who later complained that the event had ‘barely got started’ when police moved in.
The Metropolitan Police said two men, aged 18 and 19, were arrested for violent disorder and obstruction in Finsbury Park, North London, They remained in custody while one officer needed hospital treatment for bruised ribs.
Members of the Metropolitan Police were pelted with laughing gas in Finsbury Park on Friday
Angry residents called police who arrived at 11pm on Friday, only hours after Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said she would take tougher action against unlicensed music events following Home Secretary Priti Patel’s criticism of a soft approach. As a police helicopter circled above, riot police marched on to the Woodberry Down Estate where the rave was being held. It took five hours to clear the area, with videos posted on social media showing revellers throwing kerbstone bricks and bottles at officers.
Scotland Yard later vowed to deploy more officers on the streets in anticipation of more illegal raves and violent crimes in the event of warmer weather.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D’Orsi said: ‘Officers responded to calls from residents concerned about a large gathering, noise, anti-social behaviour and violence. The disorder they encountered is totally unacceptable as is the fear I am sure this generates amongst the local community, who called the police for help.’