Police up patrols after spate of stabbings as violence flares across London on hottest day of the year

Ring of steel: Police presence in key locations will be upped tonight in response to last night's disorder
Nigel Howard
Sebastian Mann20 July 2016
WEST END FINAL

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Extra police officers were on the streets today to stop a repeat of last night's violence that swept through the capital.

More officers will be visible today at key locations hit by the "horrific night of spontaneous violence" on Tuesday night – including Hyde Park, where police were injured in clashes with up to 4,000 teenagers on Tuesday evening.

At least three youths were hurt, two of them stabbed.

A police officer was also knifed as a further four were injured.

Video has emerged of a youth being stabbed in the street amid clashes with police in Hyde Park

Violence flared as a mob clashed with police after they were called to a water fight and party organised on social media.

Officers were also called to a McDonald's restaurant nearby in Marble Arch after crowds of revellers leapt over the counter to grab food as disorder spilled out of the park.

As part of efforts to prevent a repeat of the disorder, today the Met pledged to put more officers out on patrol.

Commander BJ Harrington - who called yesterday an "horrific night of spontaneous violence" - said: "Extra officers will be on duty tonight across London and this will continue throughout the weekend."

Police closed off Oxford Street on Tuesday night 
Nigel Howard

A tweet posted by the force added: "#HydePark: Officers on duty today. We want you to have a safe & enjoyable day. Think carefully before going to spontaneous/unlicenced events"

The message was retweeted by the two borough police force's that patrol the park, Westminster as well as Kensington and Chelsea.

Violence also exploded in south London on Tuesday night as teenagers flooded into Burgess Park in Southwark for an end of term water fight.

Two 16-year-olds were stabbed as about 1,500 people filled the Camberwell park. Neither were seriously injured, police said.

The outbreak of disorder led police to promise there would be an upped presence of officers in the area today.

Southwark MPS tweeted: “What started as end of term water fight in #burgesspark yesterday ended in a serious stabbing. Extra patrols today. #schoolsout #SE17 #SE5.”

Hundreds of teenagers gathered in Stamford Hill (Loren Bowe )
Loren Bowe

End of exam celebrations also descended into chaos in Stamford Hill, Hackney, where police were pelted with bottles after hundreds of youths gathered to “drink and have a water fight”.

The grim night of violence came as London sweltered in the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures in the capital reaching 32C.

Scotland Yard’s BJ Harrington said spell of hot weather was no excuse for violent criminal behaviour

He said: “Does the weather cause people to be violent? My personal opinion is no, that’s not the case.

“Four thousand people assembled in a London park - that’s not unusual for one of our central London parks. What is unusual is where people behave criminally, where their behaviour is unacceptable, where they attack officers, they attack each other.”

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