Teen Crowds Disrupt Clapham, Prompt Shop Closures

Large crowds of teenagers gathered on Clapham High Street in south London on Tuesday evening, leading to the early closure of several shops and clashes with police, in what appeared to be a repeat of similar disturbances over the Easter holidays. The incident, which began around 7 p.m., involved groups of young people, many wearing masks or balaclavas, responding to social media calls for a "linkup" at locations including Clapham Common and nearby basketball courts. Officers from the Metropolitan Police imposed a dispersal order and arrested two teenage girls on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

The chaos forced businesses such as Marks and Spencer, Waitrose, McDonald's, Sainsbury's and Boots to shut their doors ahead of schedule to protect staff and customers. In some cases, shoppers, including families with young children, were barricaded inside stores for safety as the crowds moved through the area, shouting and running in groups. A security guard at Marks and Spencer, which had been targeted in an earlier incident, described the scene to reporters. "There were loads of kids sprinting and shouting," he said. "Police advised all the shops to close for one hour." He...