Two women and a teenage girl were arrested yesterday (August 15) after police were called to a brawl in Margate High Street.
One bystander likened recent incidents in the High Street to an Eastenders-type series, adding: “Today’s episode saw two warring local families fighting down the High Street. Grandmothers, mothers, daughters with kids and pushchairs, all sparring with each other.
“One pinned their opponents head to the pavement with their knee on their neck. Five police cars attended and took (people) away in cuffs whilst the others checked out their scrapes and bruises.”
A Kent Police spokesperson said: “Kent Police was called to a report of a group of people fighting in Margate High Street at 5.20pm on Thursday 15 August.
“Officers attended and two women and a 17-year-old girl were arrested on suspicion of affray.
“The girl has since been bailed and the two women remain in custody while enquiries into the incident continue.”
The brawl follows an incident on Monday (August 12) in the High Street where a teenage girl punched a member of staff at McDonalds, a girl assaulted a woman by pulling her hair and a 16-year-old boy from London was arrested on suspicion of causing damage to a police vehicle, as well as assaulting an officer. He has been released on bail pending further enquiries.
A 48 hour dispersal order was put in place that evening to cover Margate town centre. The previous day a 48 hour order was used, covering Ramsgate including Park Road, Royal Harbour Approach Road, Victoria Parade and Boundary Road, due to disruption being caused by youngsters as young as 11.
Dispersal orders last for 48 hours and give additional powers to officers to move on people, who then risk arrest if they return to that area within 24 hours.
