A strict crackdown on anti-social behaviour is underway across Thanet this weekend, with police enforcing sweeping dispersal orders across major town centres and seafronts.
Officers have been granted enhanced powers to tackle rowdy behaviour and force troublemakers to move on from designated zones in Margate, Ramsgate, and Broadstairs. The restrictions, which came into effect at 3:00pm on Friday 29 May, are set to remain in place until 3:00pm today, Sunday 31 May.
The weekend-long operation blankets several high-footfall coastal areas. In Margate, the controlled zone spans the seafront between Hartsdown Road and Trinity Square, stretching inland to Churchfields and All Saints’ Avenue. Further down the coast in Broadstairs, the order covers the area between Lanthorne Road and Seacroft Road, extending back to Salisbury Avenue, Osborne Road, and St Peter’s Park Road. Meanwhile, the Ramsgate restriction encompasses the area bordered by Park Road and Grange Road, alongside the entire harbour perimeter and the beach up to the Victoria Parade path.
Under the terms of the legislation, police officers can instruct anyone engaging in anti-social behaviour to leave the specified zones immediately. Authorities have warned that anyone who ignores the directive and returns to the area after being dispersed faces immediate arrest.