Police impose overnight dispersal order in town centre due masked wearing yobs

Crime / Sun 29th Mar 2026 at 07:17am

ESSEX Police issued a dispersal order in Harlow Town centre overnight.

A spokesperson said: “We’ve put in place a dispersal order in #Harlow town centre as we deal with groups of younger people wearing masks and behaving unacceptably towards other members of the public.

The order is in place until 6am on Sunday 29 March and covers the area shown in the map.

It gives officers the power to order anyone suspected of being involved in antisocial behaviour to leave the area and not return for up to 48 hours. If the person does not comply, they risk being arrested.

The order is in place to help us prevent disruption to the public and prevent criminal offences from being caused.

It is available to us under section 35 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

6 Comments for Police impose overnight dispersal order in town centre due masked wearing yobs:

Mari

2026-03-29 10:13:49

If they really did act antisocial then parents should get punished aswell as those scams,kids behavior is created at home,not school or street, enough of careless parenting!.

Stuart J

2026-03-29 13:23:05

Doesn’t bode well for Dan Swords future image of an Al Fresco dining and nightlife around the Town Centre. Not without 24hr security, similar to the Water Gardens. These dispersal orders should be on a permanent basis, if Dan Swords wants to achieve his vision and make the Town Centre, THE place to visit in the evenings and nights.

Jac

2026-03-29 14:52:21

The parents of any minors being disruptive and causing trouble should be hauled before the courts and made to account for their children's behaviour and heavily fined and not just be slapped on the wrist and told not to do it again!