Some of those working in and around Piccadilly Gardens say things are 'as bad as they've ever been' in the area after a weekend of violence and chaos.
On Friday (July, 21) a large group of school children and college students caused 'mayhem' on the last day of term, with cops and passers-by being pelted with eggs forcing trams to stop running and some businesses to close early. Riot police were called in to enforce a dispersal order which was put in place and three arrests were made.
Footage later emerged of a fight on the platform of the Market Street Metrolink stop. Then on Monday night (July 24), a number of fights broke out across both St Peter’s Square and Piccadilly Gardens after a party was shut down at a venue on Deansgate.
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The Manchester Evening News has revealed that the birthday party at Rebellion, where over 200 under-18s are said to have turned up, was ended early on police advice after a knife was thrown over a fence. Four police officers were attacked in the trouble that then flared on the other side of the city centre. Four teenagers were arrested.
On Tuesday the M.E.N visited the Gardens and spoke to several of those who work there every day including in security, and they painted a grim picture of frequent violence and anti-social behaviour, with several feeling the situation is deteriorating and that a more frequent and visible police presence is needed.
Rehman Butt, 50, a doorman at a premises close to the gardens, which he asked us not to name, said a number of shops and restaurants closed their doors as Monday night's violence raged shortly before 9pm. "Whatever happened started in there" he said pointing to the centre of the gardens.
"It looked like there were two groups fighting, there was easily more than 100 of them. Maybe 200. They were from about 12 up to 17 and 18 but there were more younger ones. I saw the police, they went in, and they all split up. But they went over to tram stop and carried on fighting.
"Then they went to Mosley Street, and near the Market Street stop. They were banging doors and windows. They were making a lot of fuss. Our management said close the door and come inside and a lot of the other nearby places did the same.
"We have lots of incidents here. Everyday there is trouble. But it does feel like things are as bad as they've ever been. I don't know what's behind this. The police need to deeply investigate.
"There were loads of officers last night and to be honest they handled it quite nicely. And I know its a big city and there are lots of things happening. But I would suggest that they need to have officers here all the time. Even if it was just three or four.
"If they did, and criminals could see them, they could stop so many things. Not just violence, but drug dealing, the stealing of the phones."
His colleague Sheikh Mehmood, 49, agreed. He said on Friday he was forced to intervene as hundreds of school kids ran riot. He said at one point, a lad was chased and '15 or 16 people jumped on him' and were punching and kicking him, prompting Mr Mehmood to pull him inside their premises and close the door. Mr Butt credited his colleague with 'saving his life.'
"I think it was two schools who were clashing," Mr Mehmood said. "But it wasn't just Friday, all the time there is trouble. I'd say every day. Especially with the young kids. The area between McDonald's and Morrisons suffers the most.
"We see kids as young as seven, eight, nine, they are coming in here, even during school time, causing trouble throwing things around. They should be in school.
"Then we try to ask them to leave they say 'don't touch me, I'm underage.' We've had to ban lots of them. I have kids and if they don't go into the school, the school would inform me and I'd find out where they'd been. But that doesn't seem to be happening.
"You see them smoking and smoking weed, but no one is saying anything or asking them questions. They just have no ethics, no respect and it surprises me. But they are so young there is still time to do something before they become an even bigger problem for society."
One man who works in the Gardens, but asked not be named, said on Friday the huge mob of school kids were armed with eggs which he believed were specifically to throw at police.
Several hours later they saw two opposing groups, at least one of whom were adults, fighting on the Market Street tram stop platform.
"The kids were running around screaming, throwing eggs at the police," he said. "And I think it was aimed specifically at the police. I heard they'd been thrown out of the food court before they came up here.
For me, it wasn't just high jinks. High jinks they would have been throwing them anywhere and everywhere. But they were deliberately aiming at the police who were lined up.
"I saw a lad open up his coat and he had boxes and boxes of them and was handing them to everyone. It was mayhem. But they were here for at least a couple of hours until the police turned up in numbers.
It's as if they weren't bothered at all. But if that was a football match or a political march or something they'd have steamed right in there with their batons.. Then just before 7pm, there was a group, that looked like two different nationalities.
"I think one group were bullying people on the tram platform and this guy went away and came back with a load of others and it all kicked off. But to be honest, this is the norm. The amount of trouble we see here is ridiculous. It's not any worse at the moment, it's just as bad as it's always been."
Another worker said: "It seems to have got really bad in the last few days, I don't know why. Maybe because the schools broke up. It certainly all seems to be pre-arranged. I heard a guy got really badly beaten near Five Guys, they were stamping on his head.
"Personally I think we need a curfew in town for under-18s or something. I know it would be hard to police but it might help. It just doesn't feel safe anymore. You don't know what people are carrying. And what can the police really do, especially if there are hundreds like there have been these last few days? It's getting out of control."
One worker based in the area, who also didn't want to be named, said of Friday's trouble: "It was more kids being a nuisance than being threatening or scary but I can see how it might make people feel like that. Every year something goes on on that day, I think to do with the schools.
"But I think it goes on everywhere, not just here. I was reading about issues in Watford and other places. It's all being pre-arranged on the internet and social media.
"There's no way it can all be spur of the moment. Especially as I heard one of the schools was from south Manchester and the other from north Manchester.
"Realistically how can you stop it? You can't stop kids coming into town. You could ban uniforms but next time they'd just take them off. Like football fans, back in the day, they started dressing differently so they didn't stand out.
"Ultimately you never see enough police here. There's not enough of them. It would be helpful if there was someone around all the time. They did try a few years ago but it only lasted about two weeks. You have those PCSOs but they're not much use as they can't even arrest anyone."
Another said: "I think they lost it in 2020. In the pandemic, we were pretty the much only ones working here and loads of people moved in and set up on the benches. Dealers and what have you. And I don't think the situation has recovered from then. It's got to the point now where I'm really sceptical about my personal safety.
"We need more police around here. The answer we always get is surveillance. That they are always watching on the cameras but we've had that for yours and it's not stopped anything. In fact, it's getting worse."
Three people were arrested for public order offences following Friday's chaos with a man arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and affray following the fighting in the Market Street area.
On Monday four people, aged between 16 to 18-years-old, were arrested on suspicion of affray. Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said behaviour such as that seen over the weekend 'will simply not be tolerated' and that they will leave 'no stone unturned' in their bid to identify and bring the culprits to justice.
Chief Inspector of Neighbourhoods in the City Centre, Stephen Wiggins, said: "This kind of behaviour in the city centre, or indeed anywhere in Greater Manchester, will simply not be tolerated. We are working closely with our partners to ensure that no stone is left unturned. Our investigations are gathering at pace and we will be making more arrests.
"As part of our large-scale investigation, we have also been undertaking extensive CCTV enquiries and acting on intelligence we have received from members of the public. Officers are being deployed in and around the area in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the local community."
Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council Councillor Luthfur Rahman also condemned the violence. He said: "These two unrelated incidents do not reflect Manchester city centre and will simply not be tolerated here.
"Together with the police, we are sending out a message that we utterly condemn violent or disruptive behaviour in our city. We won't allow these rare incidents to create negative perceptions about our city.
"Those responsible will be held accountable, as the arrests already made illustrate, and I would encourage any members of the public who know anything about either incident to come forward and help the police."
