Clapham: Police powers further expanded in crackdown on local youths

A dispersal zone issued on Wednesday (January 19) includes roads on Clapham Common North Side and Clapham Common South Side to help police tackle youths causing anti-social behaviour.

The order, also known as a Section 35, began at 3:30pm yesterday and will expire at 3:30pm on Friday (January 21).

It is the second Section 35 to be authorised by Wandsworth Police this week in response, after an earlier order put in place on Monday in response to anti-social behaviour in Clapham Junction expired at 3:30pm yesterday.

However, there are "ongoing issues with youths in the area".

Section 35 gives a police officer or police community support officer the power to exclude a person from an area for up to 48 hours.

The measure is used to protect members of the public from being harassed or when there is a high risk of crime or disorder.

It is an offence to fail to comply with a direction given by a police officer or PCSO to disperse from the area; fail to surrender items likely to cause anti-social behaviour, on request of a police officer or PCSO; return within a specified period after being directed to disperse from the area."

Lavender Hill, Marney Road, Battersea Rise, Latchmere Road and ASDA Clapham Junction are all inside the zone of the new dispersal order.

Also included is the entirety of Battersea Park.

Clapham Junction station is not in the new dispersal zone.

In a statement Wandsworth Police said: "Section 35 dispersal order has been authorised due to ongoing issues with youths in the area.

"SEC 35 will start from 1530hrs 19/01/2022 until 1530hrs 21/01/2022 Roads will include Queenstown Road, Battersea Park Rd, Albert Bridge Rd, Plough Lane, Battersea Rise, Clapham Common North and South side.

"Included will be Battersea Park excluded will be Clapham Junction Railway station.

"Please note that whilst a dispersal zone is in effect, it is an offence to:

"Fail to comply with a direction given by a police officer or PCSO to disperse from the area

"Fail to surrender items likely to cause anti-social behaviour, on request of a police officer or PCSO

"Return within a specified period after being directed to disperse from the area."

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