Police have been given 48-hour dispersal powers in Bexley for the Halloween weekend, after weeks of reports of anti-social behaviour in the borough.
The dispersal order was approved for 48 hours and runs from 3pm on Friday 30 October to 3pm on Sunday 1 November. Under the order, officers will be allowed to remove a person from the designated zone for a period of up to 48 hours to address behaviour that is causing harassment, alarm, distress, crime or disorder.
It is understood that the decision to impose the order was taken following ongoing reports of anti-social behaviour over recent weeks. The Met has confirmed it anticipates an increase in the levels of anti-social behaviour this weekend associated with Halloween, and has published a map of the area affected by the order.
A spokesperson said: “We recognise that the vast majority of people enjoy Halloween responsibly. These powers are intended to protect local communities, prevent further incidents of anti-social behaviour, and ensure that residents, businesses, and visitors can enjoy public spaces safely. Thank you for your support in helping us keep our communities safe.”
What a dispersal order means
A dispersal order gives officers the power to direct a person to leave a designated area, and not to return for a set period — in this case up to 48 hours — where their behaviour is causing harassment, alarm or distress, or is linked to crime or disorder. Refusing to comply with a direction to leave can itself be an offence. The powers are time-limited and area-specific: they apply only within the mapped zone and only until 3pm on Sunday.
The order is the second such measure in the borough in as many weeks. Police imposed a weekend dispersal zone across Blackfen on 23 October after youths pelted cars with eggs and masonry, and a Section 60 order covered four areas around Harlesden after a knife and a suspected gun were found. Both cases show how quickly police turn to area-wide powers when disorder flares in a specific neighbourhood.
For Bexley residents, the message from the Met is twofold: Halloween should be enjoyed, and the powers are there for the minority whose behaviour spoils it for everyone else. The order expires at 3pm on Sunday, after which the additional powers lapse unless a fresh order is approved.
The order lands on a busy Halloween weekend across London, with major road closures in place on the A40, the M25 and around Brent Cross and Tube passengers urged to check their journeys. Residents and businesses who are unsure whether they fall inside the dispersal zone can check the map published alongside the Met’s announcement, which marks the exact area covered.
