A mass brawl involving hundreds of youngsters yesterday broke out on Broadstairs beach despite police issuing a dispersal order which they said would ‘disrupt antisocial behaviour’.
Astonishing footage of the fight shows the massive group of youths surrounding two males who are throwing punches and slaps at each other on the walkway behind a row of beach huts on the Kent seafront.
The altercation then spills onto the sand with the baying crowds screaming and seemingly urging the pair to continue fighting while terrified families and children flee the beach.
Police officers could be seen arriving on the litter-strewn beach once the fight had cooled off but many of the youngsters had already left the area.
The fight came just one day after Kent Police announced they had implemented a Section 34 dispersal order, which locals have since described as ‘totally ineffective’.
The onlooker, who captured the video of the brawl, posted to social media to say there was ‘no sign of any law an order’ in the area after police vowed the public would see ‘additional patrols’ over the weekend.
He added: ‘Is it time for the locals to form a group of volunteers to take matters into our own hands and get these f*****g urchins dealt with.
‘We can’t tolerate this bulls**t and if we don’t make some kind of stand then people will stop coming here. And everyone [loses] out.’
The dispersal order had been put in place Broadstairs for 48 hours as of 4.30pm on Friday, June 20, and ended this afternoon.
Kent Police said in a statement yesterday that the order was brought in because of concerns relating to a ‘small minority of young people’ in areas such as the town centre and the beach.
They say these groups had been drinking underage, fighting each other and been reported for behaving ‘aggressively’ towards shop staff.
They added that it granted officers ‘additional powers’ to ‘instruct people to leave the area’ and that anyone who returned after being dispersed would risk being arrested.
However, many dismayed locals said the area was still unsafe.
‘It’s not safe for anyone under these conditions, they are out of control,’ one local wrote on social media.
Another added: ‘I’m angry and so are the most of Thanet by the sound of it. But sadly the police are not making any kind of difference.
‘I’m not suggesting that we group together and go out beating them up, but we have to get together and come up with good ideas and [have] them enforce it.’
A spokesperson for Kent Police for told MailOnline: ‘Kent Police was called to a report that a disturbance related to approximately 50 individuals was taking place on Broadstairs beach shortly before 3pm on Saturday 21 June.
‘Officers attended and after completing enquiries a 17 year old boy was arrested and taken into custody.
‘Later that day, the teenager was charged with assaulting a police officer and was bailed with conditions to attend Maidstone Youth Court at a later date.
‘A dispersal order remains in place following concerns of antisocial behaviour involving a small minority of young people in some public areas, including the town centre and beaches.
‘Local officers will be on patrol to provide a visible presence and to ensure the area remains a safe place for all.’
