Met Police Issues Urgent Warning Over Social Media 'School Wars' Posts Targeting London Pupils
The Metropolitan Police has issued a stark warning to London pupils and parents after discovering posts on TikTok and Snapchat that encourage children to participate in violent 'school wars' fights. These posts, which are actively promoting conflicts between local schools, have prompted police to urge social media platforms to ban accounts involved in this dangerous activity.
Details of the Disturbing Social Media Campaign
Investigations reveal that these posts are targeting pupils as young as 11 years old, with some advertisements pitting schools against each other in so-called 'wars'. One post specifically advertised a 'north London war', dividing eight named schools into 'red' and 'blue' sides for pupils from year seven to 11. Another concerning post promoted a 'Hackney war' and included images of weapons such as knives, compasses, and fireworks, explicitly urging participants to bring these items to fights.
Even more alarming, some posts have suggested implementing a points system based on the level of harm inflicted on opponents, with direct calls for participants to 'be violent'. This has raised serious concerns among law enforcement and educational authorities about the potential for real-world violence and injury among young people.
Police Response and School Actions
Commander Neerav Patel of the Metropolitan Police confirmed that the force is fully aware of these posts and has been working closely with several London boroughs to address the situation. 'We continue to closely monitor online spaces and have worked with platforms to request a dozen social media accounts to be disabled where threats or violence were planned or encouraged,' Patel stated.
In a direct message to pupils, Patel emphasized the severe consequences of involvement: 'I would like to remind young people of the serious consequences of getting involved in matters like this. An arrest, charge and conviction for violence and carrying weapons could mean imprisonment with a significant long-term impact on future opportunities.'
This is not the first time such incidents have occurred in London. A previous attempt to organize a school fight in Hackney led police to issue a dispersal order to prevent violence from escalating.
School Communications and Parental Concerns
Several London schools have taken proactive measures by sending letters to parents warning them about these dangerous social media posts. Fortismere School in Haringey, north London, alerted parents: 'We are writing to alert you to recent social media activity circulating across various parts of London that encourages young people to take part in so called 'tagging' or 'schools wars'–style games.'
The school also thanked parents who had already approached them with concerns after checking their children's phones. Similarly, Graveney School in Tooting, south-east London, informed parents that they would enhance security measures, including using their authority to search students if necessary to prevent any potential violence.
Student Skepticism and Government Attention
Despite the serious nature of these posts, some pupils remain skeptical about their authenticity. According to reports from the Metro newspaper, which first covered this issue, many students believe these posts might be spoofs or attempts to create fear. One year 10 pupil commented: 'People are just trying to fearmonger parents … Any teenager with common sense would not meet somewhere where the police have been told about and bring a weapon.'
The issue has also caught the attention of government officials. Health Secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that he has raised concerns about these posts at the highest levels of government. In a response to one of the posts, Streeting wrote: 'I've raised this at highest levels in government. Hope parents are clear with their children that we'll come down on this sort of behaviour like a ton of bricks.'
As authorities continue to monitor the situation, parents and schools are urged to remain vigilant and educate children about the dangers of engaging with such content online.
