Kent Police officers made six arrests and move on some 40 people across Thanet during the bank holiday weekend.
As part of the continued crackdown on antisocial behaviour across the district, Section 34 dispersal orders were put in place across Broadstairs, Margate and Ramsgate.#
The orders were activated between Friday 22 and Sunday 24 May as part of an ongoing response to address antisocial behaviour concerns, such as underage street drinking and criminal damage.
During the weekend thousands of sunseekers visited Viking Bay in Broadstairs and officers made several arrests, moved on multiple people following reports of antisocial behaviour and seized alcohol from underage drinkers.
One teenager in Broadstairs was arrested for assaulting an emergency worker and for possession of cannabis, another was arrested for being drunk and disorderly, and a third was arrested for breaching a dispersal order.
In Margate one person was arrested for criminal damage and assault, another was arrested in connection with a racially/religiously aggravated public order incident, and another person was arrested for an outstanding warrant.
Officers also made multiple arrests following a report of a disturbance at McDonald’s in Margate High Street on Sunday 24 May.
Patrols also:
- Seized music speakers, more than 50 Nitrous Oxide canisters and multiple crates of beer and spirits
- Carried out 10 stop searches, which included finding one person in possession of cannabis
- Issued two traffic offence reports
- Reunited four children with their parents
Chief Inspector Ian Swallow said: “We knew there would be thousands of visitors across Thanet during the bank holiday weekend and had plans in place to tackle any possible antisocial behaviour head-on. The vast majority of those visitors were respectful and enjoyed their time, however there will always be pockets of incidents.
“Officers were out in the community meeting and talking to residents, visitors and business owners and we made sure that patrols were deployed across Thanet to ensure that officers were nearby to deal with any disruption that took place.
“Our plans ensured that crime and disorder was kept to an absolute minimum which is shown by the low number of arrests, and when incidents did arise officers were able to quickly identify those involved. As part of these plans we also worked closely with local councils, businesses and other key organisations to ensure there was a joined-up approach.
“Kent Police is committed to tackling antisocial behaviour across the county and people who go out of their way to cause issues will be arrested and will face criminal charges if appropriate.”
Despite the arrests and dispersals several businesses in Broadstairs were forced to shut their doors, including Tesco, Co-op, the seafront cafes and Kent Surf School.
Mum-of-one Maria Goldfinch, who runs The New Old Bakehouse in Broadstairs High Street, said the disruption and intimidation impacted businesses throughout the town.
A post from Viking Bay Cafe added: “To the people who came here simply to cause trouble, film chaos for social media and disrespect our town — you are not welcome. This town is not a backdrop for clout, mayhem or intimidation.”
Broadstairs County Councillor John Finch has now written to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood asking for urgent intervention.
In his letter he says the action is needed due to “the intolerable situation our town is facing yet again. We have been subjected to a repeat of the exact same lawlessness that we were explicitly assured would not happen again.”
Outlining the severe disruptions in the town last summer, Cllr Finch said Broadstairs is now in “a state of déjà vu.”
He added that at the annual police scrutiny meeting at KCC, Superintendent Peter Steenhuis ,Head of Strategic Prevention at Kent Police said if actions were repeated year on year then things would have to be looked at differently.
Cllr Finch added: “It’s patently clear none of this has had the desired effect and the rhetoric is lost on everyone impacted again in 2026.
“I urge the Home Office to collaborate with the Department for Transport and rail operators to deliver a tougher coordinated strategy .We need an increases police presence at known trouble -hotspot stations, stricter enforcement of byelaws and harsher penalties for those who threaten frontline transport workers.
“Broadstairs is a historic seaside tourist destination that prides itself on welcoming families. Our local economy relies heavily on the seasonal income generated by visitors.
“These same visitors are now being driven away by a wave of vile behaviour of young adults high on drugs and alcohol, alongside a tide of anti-social behaviour .Our businesses cannot survive if our streets and beaches are left to disorder.
“I request a review of the resource allocation for coastal policing units during peak seasons and hold the relevant forces accountable before these predictable pattens of chaos repeat themselves.”
I think we have to stop making excuses for these people.Walking around town without a T shirt on.F…ing every other word.Drinking on the streets.Throwing litter everywhere.I think all the above needs to stop.Ban alcohol from the beach and make drinking inside pubs only.
Im sick to death of drunkenly deranged people screaming and shouting in the early hours of the morning also.
I have pint glasses,tin cans,nappies,ice creams thrown in my garden on a regular basis.I often wonder if Thanet Hot Day tourism actually is viable to our community.
Anyway Im off to France for my holiday where none of the above happens and people seem so much bette mannered to their fellow human beings.
Your not going to Paris or Marseille then!
Well, don’t forget TDC tried to introduce £100
fines for highly-offensive public swearing on Thanet’s streets but the so-called Free Speech Union put a stop to that.
Wasn’t trying to introduce-it was introduced & had been a long time before under a different party in charge before them as a way to raise funds through nonsense fines-rather like the private company hired to catch people littering who themselves littered & were just accusing people with zero proof/making it up. Labour just carried on going along with it, until somebody rather than just rolling over challenged it in court & TDC admitted it was illegal & dropped the whole thing, before as predicted quietly trying to reintroduce it a few months later.
There is a huge difference in dropping an f bomb as part of a friendly conversation, hitting your hand with a hammer/dropping something heavy on your foot-which unknown to most of us we could have been arrested for at any point the last decade or so-if some jobsworth officer/warden decide to & then fined & a bunch of drunk hooligans sniffing illegal laughing gas & attacking people/shops etc.
You may laugh & say it would never happen-but there are plenty of those power hungry types around. Essex Police just convicted some guy for tooting his horn a few times to tell his mate he was there to pick him up-technically it is illegal, but it happens every day everywhere & causes no issues. So a total waste of police time, court time & taxpayer money-which could have been spent dealing with actual criminals. Thank goodness for the FSU on this matter.
I cant think of a nice alternative word for Scum.
Yet again everyone is ignoring the worst cuplrit in all of this, and that is Southeastern! No ticket inspections and at stations in Medway equipped with barriers, they open them up. Southeastern imports these thugs into Thanet and it’s about time they were held to account.
Why on earth don’t they simply just ban alcohol from the beach. We left sat at 1.30om. Away for a little getaway break from our well behaved teenage and young adult children for our anniversary. As we left the security were letting scores of teenage huge groups onto the beach with so much alcohol, music blaring and I just thought they are just asking for trouble. Make it a non alcohol beach, all beaches, all adults no alcohol, the weed was overwhelming, although I’d rather that than drunk people everywhere. There’s lovely families, little children, couples. Nightclubs, puns ect are for whatever they want to do. Who on earth needs to gey drunk in 34 degrees heat, blest music everywhere, kick balls at people. Honestly the security let them do it then moan. Put signs and rules up by the council. Non alcohol, drug and music oh and large groups of teenagers banned from all beaches. Including adults, saw the most awful women kicking off, felt embarrassed for her childish behaviour. Screaming and shouting at elderly and young children. Dancing like an idiot. 6 security, and that security could be used elsewhere. Common sense councils, come on its not rocket science. I would not in my right mind bring my children there or myself again. Awful and I feel for the businesses, the police ( wasting time when more serious crimes need them). Security not given enough control to ban them. And the poor families and people just wanting a relaxing day out. Kids walking in the street ( young 15 years I’d say girls with thongs on). Oh my days, wanted to cover them up.
Obviously came here with intent. Policing the beach and lasers might deter. Same drugged up and drunken yobs like hearing a football match.
Imposing fines do not deter they may prevent.
Did they all get off the train, any earlier cctv footage before thoughts were provoked.
Welcome to broken Britain and Broadstairs where the stiff upper lip live.
Detain them to do community service and put them on councelling. Obvious need behaviour control too.
As for no shirt allowed. It is hot and enforcing no shirts…try preventing alcohol or drugs with detection dogs. Yes, they are yobs, drunk and here to make disturbances.
Get Ian Carmichael on the case of prevention.
Do our local youths feel challenged by these idiots invading their territory? Do they have brilliant ideas on how to tackle them and humiliate them online?
Second idea: are their phones waterproof?
Or smash proof?
Would someone know if it is possible to prohibit the use of smartphone cameras by children in public spaces?
Is it possible to impose “No valid ID, no getting on/off the train?”
Are we sure they aren’t illegal refugees that should be taken to Manston for a formal interview?
Isn’t there any suspicion that all their phones may be stolen stuff? Shouldn’t they been taken off them awaiting further investigation?