Police imposed a “Section 60” order on the whole borough of Lambeth last Saturday (31 October) after fireworks were thrown at officers on the Cowley Estate in Brixton.
Described in The Guardian as “A most draconian stop-and-search law that plays to police prejudice”, the order was imposed after the incident – which took place at about 8.15 in the evening – until midnight.
The order can be imposed if a senior police officer believes that incidents involving serious violence may take place in their area or that people are carrying “dangerous instruments or offensive weapons” there.
An order gives any police officer in uniform the power to stop any pedestrian or vehicle and to search them for “offensive weapons or dangerous instruments”.
Police said they were called to the Cowley estate after reports of a group of youths throwing fireworks.
As they attempted to search a person suspected of carrying fireworks illegally, other members of the group began to throw fireworks at them.
The London Ambulance Service also attended the incident, but no police officers were injured.
Three males were arrested in the incident: A 14-year-old for assaulting an officer and obstructing a search; a 20-year-old for obstructing a search; and a 52-year-old for breaching a dispersal order and assaulting an officer.
All three were bailed to a date in December.
