'Gobsmacked' neighbours recall two hours of mayhem after 'knife-wielding thugs' gatecrash party in primary school
24 March 2025, 08:46
"Shocked" neighbours have recalled two hours of mayhem after a gang of "knife-wielding thugs" gatecrashed a party being held in a primary school.
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Three arrests were made after a group of at least 50 youths armed with knives and machetes stormed into a primary school hall, stabbing two teenagers on Saturday.
The terrifying gang of thugs crashed a 16th birthday party held at Elm Park Primary School's hall in Havering, Essex, at around 9pm.
The mob reportedly did not clear out until 11pm, with three teenagers arrested on suspicion of assault on emergency workers.
Peter, who lives on the same road as the school, told LBC there appeared to be hundreds of children involved in the chaos.
"There must have been a good 300-400 kids running up and down the road, being chased by police," he said. "The police eventually brought dogs too. There were at least two, possible even four dogs.
"They chased them right down to the bottom of the road but the kids seemed to be doing a loop."
Read more: Victim of fatal stabbing in Brixton pictured as police urge witnesses to come forward
Another resident, who found a machete in his garden, said he was "gobsmacked" by the scenes.
"The kids were 14-15 and then, with them, there were lots of older ones," he said. "When I looked at their faces they were into their 20s, possibly into their 30s. They looked like the ones that were controlling some of the kids."
Addressing the weapons found in his garden, he said: "I didn’t see, but my neighbour saw them go in and put some things [in my garden]. When the police went away, they came and took it."
He added: "There were huge gas cannisters lying around too. The school came out the next day and sent their cleaner to clean up the whole street. People also cleaned up outside of their houses."
The resident went on to say: "Neighbours were quite shocked and angry with the school arranging these sort of things – they ought to know better than that.
"I went to speak to the head teacher and she said ‘oh, we’re just renting it out for a small party’, but the organisers didn’t have security or anything to handle it and they didn’t expect it.
"These kinds of things always happen, they should know. People living all around the school were gobsmacked to see it."
He said other children at the party did not appear phased by the chaos
"They were all just sitting on people’s walls, laughing and having a dance," he said. "Some kids getting arrested and some having a dance.
"They were very confrontational with the police, they thought it was some sort of game. It went on for two hours."
Other residents described the shocking incident as "two hours of utter mayhem".
One person told the Havering Daily: "It was total chaos.We saw between 50-60 teenagers standing outside the school drinking and inhaling balloons.
"They then entered the school hall and we heard the screams and everyone spilt out on the street. They began fighting and we could hear more screams as the fighting continued outside our houses.
“The police first arrived in two cars and tried to deal with these youths that were very aggressive, with the girls going up into their faces and screaming at them. We could see some of the youths limping, as we believe they had been stabbed."
Two teenagers, aged 19 and 16, were taken to hospital with knife injuries, which were non-life threatening.
Officers were also reportedly treated at the scene by London Ambulance Service medics.
Horrifying footage of the carnage shows a large group of children rushing out of the hall screaming. Blurred images from the background show the young thugs welding knives in the air.
Three suspects were taken to an East London police station.
A mother has claimed that her 15-year-old daughter also been taken to hospital after being attacked on a train by the group of thugs.
She said: "She had gone to a party that was supposed to have correct security but it didn't and it all went wrong.
"As she ran scared from the event, she told me the fire exit wasn't accessible and that as she got on the train, other youths followed and more fighting began.
"My daughter was attacked on the train and more fights took place. It was awful. Over a hundred youths got on and they were still fighting and doing gas balloons. My daughter is still in hospital."
A Met Police spokesperson said: "Police were called shortly after 21:00 on Saturday, 22 March to reports of a fight involving a group on Calbourne Avenue.
"Officers attended before engaging with a number of teenagers who became aggressive toward them.
"Three teenagers were arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault on emergency workers. They were taken to an East London police station. They were bailed to return for questioning later today."
Anyone with information is urged to call 101 or message @MetCC on X, giving the reference 6940/22March.
Information, including photos or videos, can also be easily uploaded to our dedicated appeal page.
