Hundreds of school kids ran riot in Manchester city centre after finishing school for the summer. Cops were egged during efforts to disperse the crowds.
Tram services were forced to a crawl at one point. Pictures and video sent to the Manchester Evening News showed a large police presence around Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
Footage also shows a large group of teenagers in the area, running through Piccadilly Gardens.
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Manchester Metrolink tweeted: "Due to an incident near Market Street/Piccadilly Gardens, all services are running via Exchange Square. No services will operate through Market Street or Shudehill. We apologise for any inconvenience caused to your journey."
Greater Manchester Police have been approached for further information.
Take a look back at our live updates in the blog below...
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Pictures from the scene
Police 'provoked and triggered by groups of young kids', says councillor
Piccadilly Mayhem
— Pat Karney (@patkarney) July 21, 2023
Workers and shoppers trying to get home and faced with this madness.
GMP officers have been provoked and triggered by groups of young kids.
They are doing an outstanding job in bringing Piccadilly back to normal.-@MENnewsdesk
'Dispersal order in place', police announce
New: Police have just announced there is now a dispersal order in place - and if you don’t move when asked “you may be arrested” @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'Police have managed to calm the situation'
This is how police have managed to calm the situation - it seems to be approaching something close to calm @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/ATYd6qxY0k
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
People 'ordered away' from Piccadilly Gardens
Police have now used the TAU officers to order people back away from Piccadilly Gardens @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Councillor slams 'disgraceful behaviour'
We all lived for the break up for summer holidays but that’s no reason for this disgraceful behaviour.
— Pat Karney (@patkarney) July 21, 2023
I presume it’s been organised on social media.
We will be seeking an update from GMP. https://t.co/dEtnOXxSv6
Police form line outside McDonald's
Police have now formed a line outside the McDonald’s - with another parallel outside Superdrug, about 10m down, to stop the teens getting back to Market Street. It feel quieter here now @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/TiS75Vcg8o
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'This is absolutely stupid'
“This is absolutely stupid,” one man’s told me. The mood is one of bemusement now @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Seven police vehicles on scene
That takes the total number of police vehicles to seven here @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/AaAS9ndqVf
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Tactical aid unit called in
Tactical Aid Unit officers have now arrived @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/jiQ7AFxL76
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Police presence 'ramped up'
The police presence here has really ramped over the last few minutes. One man has just told me he has nearly been knocked over while rolling a cigarette @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'More chaos' as police reportedly make arrest
More chaos now - police have just announced that they’re going to start carrying out searches of individuals, and two officers chased one person, which prompted scores of teens to follow. The individual involved has now been arrested and taken to a van @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/eT3LiAApso
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'Problem moving from one area of the Gardens to another'
It seems to be a case of just moving the problem from one area of the Gardens to another @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Officers 'speaking to youths to get them to disperse'
Police seem to be speaking to youths to get them to disperse. There doesn’t seem to be much appetite to go home yet though @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Police attempt to 'disturb the crowd'
Police have just driven this van with the sirens on in an effort to disturb the crowd, which has now scattered. It’s still chaos here @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/yQDzDsQ3xU
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'Mass of teenagers' has moved
McDonald’s have just reopened the big gates (which I didn’t know they had). It looks like the mass of the teenagers has moved towards the Oldham St Morrisons @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/sz1sfSxvJA
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'It won’t be long before someone gets hurt'
There’s just been another stampede - for want of a better word - and a couple of teens have fallen over. Both seem okay, but it also won’t be long before someone gets hurt if it carries on @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Police 'remove dozens of kids' from tram stop
Police have now also successfully removed the dozens of kids sat on the railings of the Market Street tram stop @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Police advise members of the public to 'go elsewhere'
Police are now advising tourists that it’s a case of “children causing problems”, and that the area is open, but they’re better off going elsewhere @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Footage shows police presence in Market Street
These are just some of the police present. A lot of shouting, screaming, and chasing one another among the teens here @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/A4zL1jn0vN
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'It appears to have calmed down a bit'
More evidence of the weaponisation of eggs. It appears to have calmed down a bit, but there are still hundreds of school kids here @MENnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/8OWi1c6FoB
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Items continuing to be thrown
More eggs and drinks appear to have been thrown. Trams are getting through, slowly, however @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'Not in the least funny and could injure people'
Manchester councillor Pat Karney has had the following to say about this afternoon's events around Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens:
Not in the least funny and could injure people .
— Pat Karney (@patkarney) July 21, 2023
We will check our cctv cameras and the tram stop cameras
We will throw the books at them if we identify them -@MENnewsdesk https://t.co/YwIVM8IUB8
Shops lock doors amid 'chaotic' scenes
Multiple shops have now locked their doors or are stationing security guards to let shoppers in or out. It’s chaotic here, to be honest @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
Eggs 'thrown from Market Street tram stop'
It appears that eggs are being thrown from the Market Street tram stop, causing teenagers to scatter in multiple directions. From what I can tell, the half-dozen police officers are trying to find the egg thrower @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'More eggs have been thrown'
More eggs have been thrown. I haven’t seen anyone injured though @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
'Confusion' with teenagers 'running around'
There’s a lot of confusion here - teens, a lot of whom have just finished the school year, are either standing around or running around Market St/Picc G @MENnewsdesk
— Ethan Davies (@EthanDaviesMEN) July 21, 2023
