Dispersal orders issued amid Halloween disorder fear

Nottinghamshire Police says neighbourhood officers will be on hand to break up groups causing trouble

Dispersal orders have been put in place across Nottingham for Halloween weekend, prompted by concerns over anti-social behaviour.

Nottinghamshire Police said the move came after disorder involving young people over the past week.

There are currently dispersal orders in the city centre, Clifton, Lenton, and Radford, as well as one in Arnold, in Nottinghamshire.

It means police will temporarily have additional powers, throughout the weekend, to order people out of specific areas.

The force said a "large number of young people" gathered in Midland Way and St Peter's Street in Radford, on Monday, and launched fireworks at people and buildings.

There were also several reports of "ASB and nuisance" in Lenton throughout the evening and into the early hours of Tuesday, police said.

Two dispersal orders were issued covering Midland Way and St Peter's Street in Radford, and in Lenton - near the city centre - in Ilkeston Road, Maid Marion Way and Castle Boulevard.

Both orders were issued from 16:00 GMT on Friday for 48 hours.

Emergency services were called to large-scale disorder in Radford around the Halloween and Bonfire Night period in 2024

A 48-hour dispersal order in Clifton has been in place since 16:00 on Thursday at following disturbances during Halloween in previous years.

The force imposed a temporary order across the city centre on Friday at 17:00 until the same time on Sunday.

On Saturday, another dispersal order was put in place in Arnold's town centre, from 08:00.

All of the orders were imposed for 48 hours but the force said it could re-impose them "at any time".

Insp Elizabeth Gaskin said: "Sadly, we have received several reports of anti-social behaviour over the last few days, and this is something we are actively investigating.

"These dispersal orders have been issued to target groups who are perceived as causing or likely to cause nuisance before the behaviour escalates."

The force's attempts to prevent disorder during the Halloween period comes after trouble in recent years.

In 2024, more than 300 people were involved in a "large-scale" disturbance in Radford involving groups of young people launching fireworks at each other.

Police said during one night of disorder in Clifton in 2023, a firework landed in a pushchair carrying a two-year-old child.