A Dundee councillor has expressed his shock that dozens of armed youths have been engaging in gang fights in a city park.
Police confirmed that they were called to Baxter Park on three nights out of four over the weekend as violence erupted.
Officers confiscated weapons from people as young as 15, and two juveniles will be reported to the Children’s Panel.
Councillor Craig Melville, whose Maryfield ward includes Baxter Park, said it is important the problem was nipped in the bud.
“It is pretty shocking and it is very disappointing to see large groups of youths roaming the area, out to cause trouble,” he said.
“Obviously I would encourage folk if they do see large groups of kids with weapons to report it to the police.
“I have every confidence that the police have a grip on things and will deal with any problem and, especially after what’s been happening, will give it extra attention.”
Police put a stop to Monday’s fracas before it had a chance to escalate, but the park was the scene of disturbances on Friday and Sunday night.
Margaret Richardson (53), an accountant from Baxter Park Terrace, witnessed the fights from her flat.
She said, “We saw a whole gang of youths. Just about anybody in this area will have seen it before.
“I think a whole lot came over from the Hilltown, fighting youths from Stobswell. They were using metal pipes.
“On the Sunday night one of the boys got a brick thrown at his head and another girl had her hair pulled out by a boy.”
A police spokesman confirmed that they were called out to Baxter Park several times over the weekend.
He said, “We received a call on Friday night about 9.45pm. That was a call about youths drinking and vandalising flower beds. At 6.30pm on Sunday night there were 25 to 30 youths fighting in the park…
“We can’t prove it was Hilltown gangs coming over to fight whoever, but that’s the way they were heading out as they were traced on CCTV.”
The children were said to have wielded weapons as they geared up to fight.
“One call came in saying there was a large group with poles,” the spokesman said.
The police received a further call to the park at around 5.30pm on Monday, he went on.
“There were 15 to 20 folk in the park with weapons including metal poles, baseball bats and sticks,” he said.
The spokesman asked residents to report large gangs of youths in the park.
“The locals in that area have been very good at reporting this,” he said. “We can get to them before the fights break out.”