Statement from the Mayor of London ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend

Here is a statement from the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The scenes we saw in Clapham earlier this week were utterly unacceptable. Not only did they spread fear in the local community, but assaulting and intimidating hard-working retail staff and police officers are serious offences. The culprits will face the full force of the law.

“I'm in close contact with the Met police, and arrests have been made already. More are likely to follow over the coming days as officers continue to review CCTV and body worn video, and ensure all those involved are apprehended. 

“My message to anyone thinking of going out this weekend to commit crime in our shops or on our high streets is that your actions will have consequences. You will be identified, held responsible and punished accordingly.

“The Met have a strong policing plan in place which includes increasing officer numbers in hotspot areas and using dispersal orders where necessary. They will be taking a zero-tolerance approach to any form of criminality.

“The police are also working with social media companies to stop footage circulating on their platforms that encourages or coordinates criminal behaviour. The dissemination of viral online content which promotes violence and theft can have damaging real-life consequences both for frontline workers and communities across the country. It breaks down our social fabric and undermines community cohesion.

“We’ve made huge progress in London over recent years to reduce many serious crimes, including violence with injury, burglary and homicides. At the heart of our approach has been a massive investment in London’s young people, funding interventions and positive opportunities for more than 550,000 young people across our city, in an attempt to reverse the damaging legacy of austerity.

“But the scenes we saw in Clapham are completely inexcusable and unacceptable, and show why we must continue to be tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime. We must stamp out this kind of behaviour which does such damage to our communities."