Major Disturbance Cobbs Corner

[simono]

Anyone know what was going on at Cobbs Corner this evening. Loads of young people shouting and fighting with the police in mass attendance. Lots of flash cars going round and round the round about as well.
Do we know where all the young people came from and what caused the problem?

[Sydenham]

Oh dear - perhaps a Zanzibar event?? I heard a few days ago that there was to be an event for young people at the club. It would not go on till the early hours of the morning but would end in the evening. From what you describe this might have been the reason so many young people were out and about.

Police and council were aware the event was taking place and it sounds they were in attendance to monitor, and unfortunately were needed to intervene at some point.

[Parker1970]

I live right there but only heard noise after the fighting started. No idea what happened but one male youth was arrested and carted off from outside the chemist opposite Cobbs Corner and then the van came back and they arrested another two male youths. Eventually more police turned up and they strategically dispersed the crowds. I'd say there were somewhere around 70 youths altogether. No adults and ranged between early teens and late teens in age.

No idea what the arrests were about, the only thing the youths had in common is wearing their jeans halfway down their backsides, which whilst unseemly, is not against the law, yet...

[The Clown]

(I read somewhere) that the more of your boy-knickers that are shown on display, the higher up you are supposed to be in any "gang"s pecking order. Surely the people who are purportedly the brains, or leaders of any operation, should be able to dress themselves properly, affording clothes that fit or understanding the workings of a belt.
Agree, should be banned. It should be illegal for stupid people to be so easily identifiable for their weaknesses

[_HB]

No. Let's keep the idiots easily identifiable. It's a form of natural selection.

[Parker1970]

(I read somewhere) that the more of your boy-knickers that are shown on display, the higher up you are supposed to be in any "gang"s pecking order. Surely the people who are purportedly the brains, or leaders of any operation, should be able to dress themselves properly, affording clothes that fit or understanding the workings of a belt.
Agree, should be banned. It should be illegal for stupid people to be so easily identifiable for their weaknesses

I read it stemmed from prisons to display one's "availability" to other male prisoners but that is probably a topic for the pub

[mosy]

No, The Clown and HB. Low slung trousers are just fashion and the worst teenagers wearing them can be accused of is being a slave to fashion. If only three of seventy were arrested, then as usual it's the odd one or two who spoiled what was otherwise a presumably enjoyable and orderly evening.

Parker1970: Very unlikely don't you think? I read that the low-slung trousers fashion came from US jails where belts were taken away, hence trousers fell down and jumpsuits now instead. I wonder if jumpsuits will be the next fashion? However, I'm sure we've all looked as daft at that age... (I know I did.)

[Eagle]

Mosy

You seem to assume as only three arrested everyone else acted correctly.


Of course you could be correct , but possibly not.

[Parker1970]

I'm surprised only 3 were arrested. Most of the noise actually came from the females and a saw some extremely agressive behaviour from many of them towards the police. Obviously I don't know the cause of the affray but I saw at least 5 different females I thought were going to get arrested themselves. Prodding police officers in the chest, getting right up on their face shouting abuse at them. I was relieved when more police arrived to diffuse the whole thing.

Also mosy, no I don't believe the prison thing. Whilst I have read such I posted it purely in humour. Hence the smiley in my post.

[mosy]

Mosy

You seem to assume as only three arrested everyone else acted correctly.

Of course you could be correct , but possibly not.

I don't know enough about it, but yes I am assuming that they were all out for an enjoyable evening and something sparking off was probably the last thing that most wanted. No different from age-old argy bargy outside at chucking out time.

@ Parker1970, yeah, got that. I resisted "I should cocoa" since not The Pub

Maybe just let the incident go as rowdiness by a small number assuming no damage or injuries caused. I'll revise that if any evidence that there was prior deliberate intent to cause disruption. I doubt it, but not knowing can't say.

[gillyjp]

Mosy

I think you do need to revise your thinking as to whether any damage or injury was caused. As immediate residents who, without fail, get the brunt of anti-social behaviour emanating from this place, we were terrified. At first there was so much screaming and shouting going on we thought that there must be a fire. Particularly being surrounded by what we now realise was the Autumnal mist and fog of the late evening.

This was no enjoyable evening of ‘fun’ particularly for us near neighbours. There was some sort of aggro going on and people piled out of ‘wherever’ to get a good front row seat and cause antagonism and as much mayhem as possible. In my opinion if such a place cannot organise a safe and trouble free event for a load of teenagers without it spilling out into the immediate area and involving the police having to attend, traffic mayhem and terrified neighbours, they should not be allowed to host any events. Simple.

Those revellers who were not involved in the fracas and just up for an ‘enjoyable’ evening should have gone home at the first sign of trouble. Not weighed in with screaming and shouting and hanging around and thereby blowing the incident up into what can only be described as a mini hysterical riot.

I for one do not want to see this on the streets of my home town ever again. An utter disgrace.

[mosy]

Thinking duly revised. To what I'm not sure. It's more alarming if it is so that people would want to get involved.

[Robin Orton]

When I was at primary school, the cry of 'Scrap, scrap!' in the yard at playtime would have us all eagerly assembling to watch the fight and urge on the combatants. It was fun!

[Nigel]

Robin
That's charmingly Betjeman-esque but the reality is that this awful club opens on fairly infrequent occasions and it seems like each time it does ,there is some kind of disorder - either bizarre parking that blocks roads or pavements , fights or the more usual late night noise .
Mercifully i am not affected but I am sure local residents have had enough .

I stand to be corrected but the Pavilion , which looks to be a pretty lively, busy pub - seems to cause no trouble .

What the hell are Zanzibar doing that results in almost guaranteed upset for local people ?

A very good evening
Nigel

[I hammer]

[quote="Parker1970"]I'm surprised only 3 were arrested. Most of the noise actually came from the females and a saw some extremely agressive behaviour from many of them towards the police. Obviously I don't know the cause of the affray but I saw at least 5 different females I thought were going to get arrested themselves. Prodding police officers in the chest, getting right up on their face shouting abuse at them. I was relieved when more police arrived to diffuse the whole thing.

Prodding police officers in the chest...? Jesus, some front for teenagers! This place needs a change of use.

[gillyjp]

Prodding police officers in the chest - surely this amounts to assault? Imagine If the situation was reversed and police started prodding people in the chest - all hell would be let loose!

[Eagle]

Gilly

I quite agree.

There indeed have been some very strange posts in support of the thugs and against the ladies and gents of Law and Order.

[Pally]

Prodding police officers in the chest - surely this amounts to assault? Imagine If the situation was reversed and police started prodding people in the chest - all hell would be let loose!

Yup! Ridiculous!

[simono]

Here we go again. Police dogs this time. Is Sydenham becoming a hot spot for civil disturbance.

[I hammer]

Hold on to yer hats, club Zanzibar has it's doors open tonight. Here's hoping for a trouble free night.....no more fireworks.