Youths in Oxford Street rampage must be ‘hunted down’, says Braverman

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has called for those responsible for disorder in London’s Oxford Street to be “hunted down” and jailed.

Footage showed police wielding batons in a clash with dozens of young people and wrestling some of them away, while officers on horseback dispersed crowds in Europe’s busiest shopping street on Wednesday.

West End stores were forced to close their shutters during the suspected looting raid which was reportedly inspired by a viral TikTok craze encouraging people to “rob JD Sports”.

The Metropolitan Police arrested nine people and issued 34 dispersal orders.

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Sharing a video on Twitter, now known as X, of police clashing with youths, Ms Braverman said: “We cannot allow the kind of lawlessness seen in some American cities to come to the streets of the UK.

“The police have my full backing to do whatever necessary to ensure public order.

“Those responsible must be hunted down & locked up. I expect nothing less from the @metpoliceuk and have requested a full incident report.”

A Met spokesman said on Wednesday evening: “As of 20.15hrs officers have arrested 34 people with dispersal orders and made nine arrests.

“Four people were arrested on suspicion of breaching the dispersal order, one person was arrested on suspicion of going equipped to steal, one person arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, and one person was arrested on suspicion of a public order offence.

“Earlier in the afternoon, officers arrested two people in Essex for conspiracy to commit robbery following online social media posts.”