London Schools Scrap Detentions Over TikTok Brawls
Schools in London have cancelled detentions after police warnings that children as young as 11 are arming themselves for mass brawls being incited on TikTok. Authorities are investigating the 'school wars' trend to prevent further violence.
The social media posts inciting the "school wars" use graphics styled after the Los Angeles street gangs, the Bloods and Crips, designating schools to "Red vs Blue" teams for mass brawls. These posts, circulating on TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram, call on students as young as 11 to "be violent" and arm themselves with items like compasses, metal combs, scissors, and even knives. This trend isn't confined to a single area, with police confirming that schools across at least 12 London boroughs have been named in the posts, including Hackney, Islington, Camden, Croydon, and Greenwich. The brawls are organized as "rounds" scheduled over specific dates, prompting some secondary schools to remain open as late as 5 p.m. to ensure students can be collected safely. In response, the Metropolitan Police has increased its presence outside school gates and has been granted special powers, like a Section 35 Dispersal Order in Greenwich, to break up groups intent on causing disorder. Commander Neerav Patel has issued a stark warning about the "serious consequences" of carrying weapons and getting involved in violence, noting that at least a dozen social media accounts promoting the brawls have been removed after police contact. The "school wars" trend is part of a larger, troubling picture of online youth violence. A recent Youth Endowment Fund survey of 10,000 teens in England and Wales found that 70% had seen real-life violent content online in the past year. The study also revealed that 56% had witnessed footage of physical fights between young people on social media platforms.
