Schoolchildren conflict with police as viral TikTok ‘blind date’ occasion descends into chaos after greater than 200 youngsters gathered on south London excessive avenue
A viral TikTok ‘blind date’ event descended into chaos last night as schoolchildren clashed with police on the streets of south London.
Videos on social media show more than 200 teenagers gathering in Sutton for the event that promised an ‘exciting night of connections and fun’.
However, it quickly descended into mayhem with police officers seen raising their batons at the crowds.
The teenage organiser of the event also appeared to be pushed against the side of a car by cops, although he was not arrested.
False rumours spread online after the gathering that the chaotic scenes were linked to two stabbings, but this was denied by police.
Officers issued a Section 35 dispersal order, ordering all attendees to leave the area to prevent any further disturbances.
It is understood that the so-called ‘blind dates’, involve two teenagers asking each other questions, while they stand back to back or wear face masks.
And at the end of the meeting, the participants turn around to reveal who they were speaking to.
This is the moment the organiser of the event was swarmed by police officers
Police issued a Section 35 dispersal order, ordering all attendees to leave the area to prevent any further disturbances
The organiser of the event appears to have been pushed against a red car by police officers
According to The Met, no one attending the gathering in Sutton on Thursday was arrested, despite the heavy police presence.
It was advertised in advance on social media, with a start time of 4pm in the town centre.
The organiser, who has around 5,000 followers, posted on his TikTok account: ‘Join us for Sutton blind dates this Thursday!
‘Experience an exciting night of connections and fun. Don’t miss out!’
In a video posted after the event to explain what happened he said: ‘[When I arrived] It’s rammed, it’s jampacked.
‘I’m thinking I’ve caused something major so then I’m trying to start the blind dates and everyone starts pushing into the crowd.
‘Then everyone starts running because I’m getting packed in and I want to move this down here as don’t want it to crowd up this space too much.
‘I did one blind date and I was about to do another one and the police officer comes up to me and she said do you want to have a chat, I said ‘no’.
Videos on social media show hundreds of teens packed into the centre of Sutton
Some claimed that the blind date event was actually not real
‘I walked away and she got four officers to come and chase me, they were pinning me against the car, one is trying to strangle me. It’s mad.
‘The stabbing is not connected to me. It is something else that happened in Sutton.’
Concerned Sutton residents called on the schoolchildren to leave the High Street on Facebook.
One person said: ‘My daughter told me about this but so glad she listened to her mum and came straight home! It’s a recipe for disaster.’
Another added: ‘Call your kids home no need for them be there.’
Others said the event was an example of why social media should be banned for under 16s.
‘This is why Australia banned social media for teens,’ one person said.
Another added: ‘Please just ban social media quickly for this lot so they can stop this online nonsense.’
Image from the scene shows dozens of teens at the blind date event
It is understood that another blind date event has been planned in south London for this evening.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: Police were made aware at around 16:04hrs on Thursday, 22 January of a large gathering, involving around 200 young people.
‘Officers attended and at around 16:42hrs, responded to a disturbance within the crowd.
‘No injuries were reported and no arrests were made.
‘A Section 35 dispersal order was put in place to prevent any further disturbances.’
