Residents and visitors of Liverpool city centre are feeling increasingly uneasy due to large gangs of youths forming and intimidating those around them. Accounts from locals allege drug dealing occurrences, and instances where individuals have been spat at, kicked, and verbally assaulted.

Merseyside Police is taking a firm stance by issuing crime prevention orders for the upcoming weekend, following concerns that escalated over the last few weekends necessitate tougher measures. The force is adamant about not allowing such groups to terrorise city dwellers and tourists alike. Dramatic snapshots captured by residents portray sizeable gatherings of youngsters loitering, with some pictures depicting law enforcement trying to defuse potential altercations.

A city centre inhabitant, who wished to remain anonymous, shared his observations of the deteriorating situation viewed from his window in the last month and a half. He commented: “The problem has come on generally over the last month and a half or so and has been getting progressively worse.”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Describing the typical sequence of events, he noted: “It starts with the forming of a big group of youths, normally around the top of the steps in Liverpool ONE. We have seen quite a lot of what looks like drug dealing taking place. The police will patrol, but when they go away, the big group builds up again.”

Residents are voicing concern over menacing behaviour by groups of youths in Liverpool ONE, causing distress amongst families and visitors. One resident conveyed his unease: “It is concerning because there are young families living here, there are lots of people enjoying nights out in the park, but then you have this big group of youths which will build up and then surge down the steps and around the park in a massive group. I am not sure what the point of it is but you don’t really want to see it.”

He observed improvements from local authorities but hinted at further measures: “In terms of the police response, they have improved things, they clearly are aware of what is going on and they have upped the ante. Liverpool ONE security are also doing as much as they can. But I get the impression that sooner or later a dispersal order may be needed. The police are caught between a rock and a hard place.”

Online forums such as Reddit bring to light more accounts of troubling incidents. A post read: ‘What is going on with these gangs of 14/15 year old lads in Liverpool ONE?’. The problems escalate as recounted in further details: “Two months ago I saw a group throwing plastic bottles at a group of young women in Chavasse Park and calling them disgusting names at two in the afternoon.”

An unnerving personal experience was shared: “Last week I was going down the escalators by the Odeon and one of them kicked me in the back trying to knock me down while their mates laughed. Today five lads were hanging over the top railing spitting on people. It is making me not want to go into town anymore.”

Liverpool City Centre Neighbourhood Inspector Jack Woodward has spoken out about the recent disturbances in the city, highlighting the issues with groups of youths congregating in areas such as Chavasse Park. Inspector Woodward remarked: “There have been recent incidents of groups of young people gathering in areas of Liverpool city centre including Chavasse Park. Many have stayed out of trouble socialising with their friends, but some have been involved in anti-social behaviour, threats and intimidation.”

He continued, addressing the response to the situation: “We have also responded to reports of fighting between groups. This issue is a top priority for our team and we are working closely alongside businesses, the council and other partners to ensure that appropriate plans are in place, especially as the good weather continues and more people want to enjoy all that the city has to offer.”

Woodward emphasised the measures being taken to maintain order: “Officers will be continuing to provide a visible police presence in areas of the city centre including Chavasse Park. We regularly engage with Liverpool ONE and other businesses to provide reassurance, advice on crime prevention, and supporting them in reviewing CCTV to identify suspects and support prosecutions. The Citywatch CCTV network, run by Liverpool City Council, is also a vital resource. Liverpool city centre has comprehensive CCTV coverage, a deterrent to anyone intending to cause trouble.”

Finally, he outlined the legal powers being utilised to tackle the problem: “Putting in place the Section 60 Order and Section 34/35 Dispersal Powers provides us with the powers needed to stop and search people, and to remove those causing issues from a designated area.”

Inspector Woodward issued a stern warning: “We will not tolerate groups intimidating, threatening and frightening people visiting, living and working in Liverpool, or anywhere across Merseyside. The aim, as always, is to keep the public safe and free from the fear and intimidation that can be caused by such behaviour.”

He also seized the moment to appeal to guardians: “I’d also like to take this opportunity to ask parents and carers to make sure that they know where their children are, and what they are doing. If they are spending hours away from home in the evenings and weekends, be aware of their movements, both for their own safety and the safety of others. The vast majority of young people are well-behaved, but the parents and carers of those who cause issues can expect a knock on the door from officers, and for further action to be taken.”

City Centre North Labour Councillor Nick Small chimed in: “We’ve been in touch with the city centre detached youth team, Liverpool ONE and Merseyside Police following this being raised by residents. We need a joined up approach to address this.” A representative for Liverpool ONE stated firmly: “We work very closely with Merseyside Police and any form of anti-social behaviour is something we take extremely seriously.”

They continued, emphasising security measures: “We have extensive CCTV coverage, and our number one priority is to always ensure a safe environment and a destination visitors can enjoy. We will not tolerate anti-social behaviour and will continue to gather evidence to assist the police in identifying suspects and bringing them to justice.”