Thames Valley Police were called to manage a large group of youths in Central Milton Keynes on Saturday, 4 April 2026, after an online-promoted event turned into widespread disorder. Officers issued a dispersal order for the area at 7.26pm, which remained in effect until the following morning, as crowds caused significant disruption in shopping areas.
The gathering began earlier that day in Campbell Park at an Easter Egg hunt. The event was promoted on social media by Stars Sneakers and Grind & Garms. While police reported that the situation was initially good-natured when they were first alerted at 4.15pm, the atmosphere changed as the number of attendees grew throughout the afternoon.
By 7.15pm, the situation escalated near The Point shopping centre, where large groups of teenagers swarmed police vehicles, preventing them from moving. Footage shared on social media showed balaclava-clad youths clashing with officers, who were forced to physically push back individuals attempting to intimidate them. Additional reports of the disturbances were also noted at the Midsummer Place shopping centre.
Under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Thames Valley Police implemented a Section 34 dispersal order. This legal measure granted officers the power to instruct individuals to leave the area to prevent further public disorder. A small number of people were briefly detained during the incident, and one person was arrested before being later released.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of social media-organised gatherings that have caused disruption in cities across the UK, including recent events in London and Birmingham. The dispersal order expired at 8am on Sunday, 5 April.
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