In a city plagued by disunity, raw power reigns
Lockdown reportedly returned to Bexleyheath on Saturday. As rumours about an impending wave of “TikTok-fuelled looting” circulated on social media, shopkeepers debated whether it was safe to unlock their doors. Eventually they did, but only after a dispersal order was issued, handing the police additional powers to snuff out antisocial behaviour. No doubt the Met’s officers hoped to avoid a repeat of the carnage that had unfolded earlier in the week, when gangs of children ran amok on Oxford Street, allegedly in the hope of ransacking a JD Sports.
Teens formed a mob in London, storming stores in Regent Street after police ordered dispersal at Oxford Street. Social media trend urged riots and looting, targeting JD Sports. Urgent warning: “Don’t come if you can’t run. Don’t bring weapons.” pic.twitter.com/7hAFEJ0oPG
— True News (@TrueNewsCo) August 16, 2023
