Violence erupted in Burgess Park and Old Kent Road on Tuesday night, leaving two boys stabbed and two women injured after over 1,000 youths congregated for the break-up of school.
Between 500 and 600 gathered for an end-of-school water fight advertised on social media.
Eyewitnesses said that at 6.30pm at least 200 were making their way on both sides of Albany Road, moving towards Walworth Road.
By 8pm police were scrambled to calls of hundreds more ransacking the Tesco superstore in Old Kent Road. Police say teens were “causing damage and stealing items”. Two women suffered minor injuries in the store but refused medical attention.
By 9pm over 100 teenagers were seen sprinting in a panicked “stampede” back up Albany Road, away from Walworth Road, after it appeared three youngsters had been knifed.
Police have confirmed that two boys were stabbed. Local sources have told the News that one was knifed in the back and the other boy in the leg. Neither are believed to have life-threatening injuries and both were taken to King’s College Hospital.
One Albany Road resident told the News: “There were loads of kids up and down Burgess Park because school was broken up. It’s always like this when school finishes at Burgess Park – the police should have known something would happen.”
The crowds in Albany Road and Burgess Park had been dispersed by police by 10pm.
Officers and a police cordon remained at the park, this morning, and at Tesco, as investigations continued. No arrests have been made.
Detective chief superintendent Simon Messinger, borough commander for Southwark, said: “While at this stage we do not believe the events at Burgess Park to be linked to disorder elsewhere in London last night, clearly there are similarities with incidents quickly breaking out amongst a large group of youths.
“Two boys were stabbed, fortunately neither suffering serious injuries, and a supermarket was also ransacked which was terrifying for staff and customers alike.
“These are serious incidents and unacceptable. We are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.”
Anyone with information that can help the police with their ongoing enquiries is urged to call 101.
A Tesco spokesperson said: “Our colleagues at Tesco Southwark have been doing a great job to make sure the store is tidy and we have a full range of products available for our customers.
“The store is open as usual and we are helping the police with their enquiries.”
Disgusting, the lot of them. 5 years ( meaning 5 whole years ) for these kids that are carrying knives and destroying families. And as for ransacking shops wtf? Disgraceful. I know as a child I wudnt dare to be so. Violent and disrespectful to the people in our communities, let alone the police, who usually get slaughtered by the public. It’s wrong, what state wud our country be in if we didn’t have officers risking their own lives to protect the innocent people caught up in all this shit. Check where your children are going! Check if they carry a weapon! Make sure they have rules, boundaries set,and healthy relationships with their parents. Talk to them! Teach your children the value of another human beings life. Sick to death of Stabbings, violence and completely disrespectful ‘CHILDREN’ killing and harming each other. Teach these children that they WILL go to prison, just for carrying a knife, and make that prison sentence happen. Let’s see how the crime rate goes down whilst they kids are inside. Make the law and stick to it!!!!!!!!
Agree and Disagree.
Why let a few ruin it for the rest. 1000 children and a few decide to go crazy and stab someone over nothing. Issue is when young children are in a group they have a different mentality than at home.
Not sure how you can send all of them to 5 years in prison just for turning up. Those that stole and carried weapons defo need punishment. These kids in 2 years time will regret what they have done.
They see no boundaries and it’s a shame.
But in the world we live its not like we have great examples being set for us. Look how many wars and violence are going on in the world. Actually we are probably more safe here than anyone else. Look at trident. We need nukes because they have nukes.
Well i need a knife because they have a knife. You can get knives so easily. For example a kitchen has knives. If you live in a home then i’m sure theres a knife
Agree and disagree, I said send any1 carrying a knife to prison for 5 years…. Not everyone who was there lol. No we don’t have great examples and I don’t agree with any of the wars going in either. I don’t like seeing people get hurt, especially kids hurtling/killing other kids. I was trying to say be open, speak to kids, teach them the consequences of their actions etc. I didn’t say wat Eva the parents are doing or not doing will change things, just make children more aware and less likely to want to carry a weapon. It’s a violent world we live in. Gang culture is rife. Let’s just keep trying to make our communities safer instead of giving up. too many kids are dying.
Ps….. My kitchen has knives : )