‘Fight club’ culture could lead to a senseless death
GROUPS of youths meeting up for fights, some of them carrying weapons, could lead to someone getting killed if something is not done to address an emerging ‘fight club’ culture, a concerned parent has warned.
The parent, who has asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals on them or their children, wrote to the Guernsey Press calling on other parents to get together to discuss the problem and what could be done about it.
Their appeal followed a recent incident at La Mare de Carteret School playing field where a large group of youths gathered to watch two teenage girls have an organised fight.
This week has also seen a young man assaulted at the skate park and another organised fight take place at Cambridge Park.
Police have expressed concerns about the rising incidences of disorder, though they say that those involved ‘are very much in the minority’.
The parent said that they had brought up their children ‘with good old-fashioned values’.
‘But I am struggling with the current teenage “fight club” culture.
‘These kids are not listening to police. They are not listening to parents.
‘Every day feels like living on a knife edge.’
They said their youngest child, a teenager, and their peers across the island were behaving ‘appallingly’.
The teenager is a member of one of several large groups in the island which meet up for fights with rivals which are arranged via social media.
The parent said they had contacted the police, Youth Commission and Action For Children over their fears that something serious will happen eventually.
‘This culture is going to lead to a senseless death one day soon as kids are now bringing some serious weapons to these fights. A child is going to die – of one wrong punch, or kick, or weapon injury, or suicide.’
Parents who are worried are invited to get in touch with a view to perhaps setting up a meeting or a group chat to consider what could be done to support and protect their children by emailing gsyparents@gmail.com.
‘I’m genuinely asking for help before a child dies,’ they said.
Police – young people organising fights ‘very much in the minority’
YOUNG people organising fights are ‘very much in the minority’, said Guernsey Police, who have urged any parent becoming aware of such plans to contact them.
The recent disturbance at La Mare de Carteret playing fields was arranged via social media and the majority of those young people who attended had gone to watch.
‘This is not the first time we have been aware of fights being arranged through social media platforms, particularly snapchat, but that instance was on a far larger scale,’ said a police statement.
‘We do not want to demonise young people in our community, the majority of which are respectable and do not cause trouble. The young people organising these fights are very much in the minority, but it is nevertheless concerning behaviour and we would encourage parents of young people to know where they are, who they are with and speak with them about the dangers of this type of behaviour.’
The statement echoed the fears of a parent who contacted the Guernsey Press over fears that someone could be hurt, or worse, as a result of such an incident and the police said that as well as being against the law the fights were incredibly dangerous and could have life-changing consequences for those involved.
Any parent aware of such plans should contact the police on 222222.
