TikTok and Snapchat posts urge London pupils to join ‘school wars’ fights | Schools
Posts on TikTok and Snapchat encourage students as young as 11 to take part in school fights, prompting police to warn children not to get involved in them.
The Metropolitan Police asked social media platforms to ban accounts encouraging “school wars”, while school principals warned parents about these posts.
One of the posts advertised a “North London battle” between students in years seven to 11, with four schools named on the “red side” and four schools on the “blue side”. Another encouraged a “Hackney war” using images of weapons to be brought, including knives, compasses and fireworks.
Other posts suggested a points system based on damage inflicted on opponents and encouraged participants to “use violence.”
Commander Neerav Patel of the Met said the force was aware of the missions and was in contact with various London boroughs to provide reassurance.
He said: “We continue to closely monitor online spaces and have worked with platforms to request the deactivation of a dozen social media accounts where threats or violence were planned or encouraged.”
In a message to students, he said: “I would like to remind young people of the serious consequences of involvement in such matters. Arrest, charge and conviction for violence and carrying weapons can mean imprisonment, which can have a significant long-term impact on future opportunities.”
An earlier attempt to organize a school brawl in Hackney led to police issuing a school dispersal order.
Many schools in London sent letters to parents about these posts. A letter from Fortismere school in Haringey, north London, said: “We are writing to warn you about recent social media activity circulating in various parts of London encouraging young people to take part in so-called ‘tagging’ or ‘school wars’ style games.
“We would like to thank our parents who contacted us with the concerns they experienced while checking their children’s phones.”
Graveney school in Tooting, south-east London, told parents: “We will ensure our usual safeguards are implemented effectively, including using our ability to search students if necessary.”
However, students are skeptical about the authenticity of the posts, which some believe are fake. by metrothe first to report on the subject. He quotes a 10th grader as saying: “People are just trying to scare parents… Any teenager with common sense wouldn’t meet at a place where the police have been notified and bring a gun.”
Health Minister Wes Streeting said he had raised the issue with his colleagues. MailOnline reported that he wrote under one of his posts: “I have raised this with the highest levels of government. I hope parents are clear with their children that we will deal with this type of behavior like a ton of bricks.”
