Police have issued 11 dispersal orders after an incident on London’s Oxford Street following social media rumours of planned disorder.
Two young men were led away from near to a McDonald’s fast food restaurant in handcuffs, close to a shop rumoured to be the target of the disturbance.
A spokesman for the Met Police said they were not aware of any arrests in relation to the incident in the city’s West End.
Nearby shops including an optician and pharmacy closed their shutters briefly shortly after 3pm on Wednesday, as crowds gathered on the busy street.
The men, one wearing a green hoodie and the other a grey tracksuit, were apprehended by police before being handcuffed.
Traffic on the packed street was temporarily brought to a halt, until four mounted police alongside security personnel were able to disperse onlookers.
There was a heavy police and security presence on the popular shopping street in the build-up to the disturbance, after rumours of a planned disorder were circulated on social media.
In a statement, the Met said: “We continue to have a highly visible presence in the Oxford Street area.
“Our officers have issued 11 dispersal orders.
“We will deal robustly with anyone coming to the West End intent on committing crime.”
Dispersal orders provide the police with extra powers to break up groups of two or more people, where they believe their behaviour is causing a nuisance, harassment or distress.
Oxford Street is Europe’s busiest shopping street, with about half a million daily visitors.
