Camden New Journal - News: Dispersal Zone

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Camden New Journal - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 9 August 2007

Fights hand police go-ahead for new dispersal zone

GANG fights involving 30 people armed with bottles and belts were cited as justification for new police powers in Cantelowes ward, bringing to seven the number of dispersal zones in operation in the borough.
Camden Council granted the powers for six months from yesterday (Wednesday) after police gathered evidence of youth disorder around the St Pancras Way estate.
Officers will be able to ask groups of two or more to disperse, and to expel non-residents for 24 hours, from a wedge of Kentish Town and Camden Town that includes the St Pancras Way and Agar Grove estates.
The Town Hall announced the powers commenting that “residents from Cantelowes have given their full backing to the introduction of a dispersal zone to deal with escalating youth related anti-social behaviour.”
Meric Apak, chairman of the Camden Tenants and Residents Association and of Cantelowes Safer Neighbourhoods Panel, endorsed the zone. He said: “At the moment residents’ lives are being made a misery by these groups of youths who think it’s OK to intimidate and harass members of the public.”
Dispersal zones already cover Bloomsbury, Holborn and Covent Garden, Highgate and Kentish Town, Camden Town, the Templar House estate in Kilburn, Regents Park, Somers Town, St Pancras and Haverstock, mostly introduced to counter “youth disorder” which police associate with summer evenings.

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