Riot police struggle to clear MORE London block parties
Riot police clear ANOTHER London block party one day after ‘utterly vile’ violence in Brixton… but revellers just pack up and move to a different one a few streets away
- Police said crowds in West Kilburn, London ‘refused to leave the location’
- Majority of revellers thought to have joined second illegal rave in Maida Vale
- Follows a week of violence at multiple illegal parties during June mini-heatwave
Published: 17:24 EDT, 26 June 2020 | Updated: 19:20 EDT, 26 June 2020
Illegal raves have broken out across London today for the third night in a row as police fail to maintain law and order on the streets.
Video footage shows a massive party in West Kilburn this afternoon as police battled revellers with shields and truncheons while loud music blared.
Helicopters were circling overhead earlier, while the crowds ‘refused to leave the location’ after officers first engaged with them at 3pm.
The majority of revellers at the West Kilburn ‘block party’ are thought to have then marched through London to join another rave in Maida Vale.
Police have told MailOnline that they are ‘aware and responding to the incident’, and are ‘engaging’ with revellers. No further arrests have been made yet.
It comes after a week of violence at multiple illegal parties during the June mini-heatwave which has seen temperatures soar to 90F.
Riot police struggled to clear yet another London block party today after officers were attacked in a violent street party in Brixton
A section 60 order has been put in place around Mozart Estate in West Kilburn until 6am tomorrow, giving police extra stop and search powers
Video footage shows a massive party in West Kilburn as police battled revellers with shields and truncheons while loud music blared
The majority of revellers at the West Kilburn ‘block party’ are thought to have then marched through London to join another rave in Maida Vale
It comes after a week of violence at multiple illegal parties during the June mini-heatwave which has seen temperatures soar to 90F
Disorder broke out at a rave in Colville Gardens, Notting Hill in the early hours of today – 24 hours after a ‘mini riot’ broke out in Brixton.
A spokesman for the Met Police told MailOnline: ‘Police are responding to an unlicensed music event on Harrow Road, W9.
‘Officers were called to the location around 15:00hrs following concerns from residents. Officers engaged with the attendees, who refused to leave the location.
‘The police helicopter is also assisting.
‘Following engagement within the local community we are hopeful that crowds are dispersing. No arrests at this stage.
‘A section 60 has been authorised in the vicinity until 06:00hrs on Saturday, 27 June. Officers will remain in the area in order to provide reassurance.’
Police said that the crowds ‘refused to leave the location’ after officers first engaged with them at the illegal party at around 3pm
Riot police struggled to clear yet another London block party today after officers were attacked in a violent street party in Brixton
It comes after a week of violence at multiple illegal parties during the June mini-heatwave which has seen temperatures soar to 90F
Today Sadiq Khan stunned the public after announcing £110million of police cuts hours after Commissioner Cressida Dick vowed to crack down on illegal raves.
The top officer, 59, said 140 force staff had been hurt trying to break up the outlawed gatherings which she branded ‘completely utterly unacceptable’.
She insisted the police had managed to stop a number of the lockdown-breaking events, including one in Mitcham last night.
But it came as Mr Khan said he expected to have to make huge cuts to police funding due to a £493million shortfall sparked by the coronavirus pandemic.
The developments came hours after a phone call between Dame Cressida and Home Secretary Priti Patel this morning.
Yesterday, Commissioner Dick was accused of turning the Met into a ‘laughing stock’ and abandoning ‘law abiding residents’ to ‘mob rule’.
Illegal gatherings took place across London in Notting Hill, Streatham and Tottenham, following the ‘appalling scenes’ in Brixton on Wednesday night.
Violence flared again last night as Metropolitan Police officers had objects thrown at them while attempting to disperse a crowd at an illegal music gathering near Notting Hill, with order not fully restored until 2.30am the next day.
The Met said it ‘will not tolerate the violence we have recently seen in London’, adding officers in ‘enhanced personal protective equipment’ were in place.
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick spoke with Priti Patel over the illegal raves this morning
On Wednesday night in Brixton, police vehicles were smashed and officers pelted with bottles during clashes with a large crowd, with Downing Street condemning the ‘appalling’ scenes and Ms Patel calling them ‘utterly vile’.
Commissioner Cressida Dick, said scenes from Notting Hill showed ‘very unacceptable behaviour but very much less serious’ than the trouble in Brixton.
The commissioner, who noted that some injuries may not be reported until after the incident, suggested that the number of police injuries is now ‘heading up to 140-odd officers, I think, in the last three weeks’.
Speaking to the Daily Express, Home Secretary Priti Patel said: ‘The police have my full support in upholding the rule of law and tackling this thuggery.
‘I want to see those responsible arrested, brought to justice and taken off our streets – before they put even more people in danger.’
