Police bring in dispersal order after nuisance behaviour in Old Portsmouth and on Southsea Common
POLICE have enacted a dispersal order after groups of people in Old Portsmouth started to cause problems.
The order means that officers can tell groups to split up and move away from certain areas. Not obeying the order is a criminal offence.
A statement put out today on the Portsmouth Police Facebook page said: ‘Yesterday we did see some issues in the Old Portsmouth area with gatherings of people acting in an anti-social manner. This combined with similar reports the night before have meant that officers have been authorised to use their dispersal powers under the above legislation.’
The order runs until 5.44pm on Easter Sunday and was granted by Acting Inspector Chris Pell.
Yesterday the police revealed a new operation aimed at reducing nuisance behaviour along the seafront called Operation Nautical. Last summer there were problems on the common, with a dispersal order brought in after unruly crowds gathered.