Arrests after several fights break out in Walthamstow

“There are no reports of any persons with injuries at this time”.

Two people were arrested following the incident, which a few described as a “riot”, at 5pm last night outside Walthamstow Central tube station in East London.

Though the circumstances leading to the fight were unclear at first, social media posts soon revealed that it all actually started with a rush hour row between two girls, who were reportedly fighting over a boy, of all things.

“The group slowly started to move after police lines were implemented”.

A 16-year-old boy and girl had been detained for affray and a 18-year-old for violent disorder.

“If any of our students are found to be involved in any way, they will face serious consequences”.

“The presence of the TSG allowed us to return to taking calls as we would do normally and to use local officers to conduct reassurance patrols in the local area”.

Speaking to the Evening Standard, Gavin Rugg, an IT consultant who witnessed the fight, said he saw 15 youths engaged in a rumpus, with breakout clashes nearby. It looked like they were arresting someone.

“There was a mix of kids – all ethnicities – and they weren’t all being aggressive”.

Speculation on Twitter suggested Tuesday’s fight involved pupils from two local schools – Sir George Monoux College and Leyton Sixth Form College.

“We thought about pulling the shutters and the police told us to stay inside before they cordoned off the end of the road”. In a joint statement released on Wednesday afternoon, the colleges expressed a commitment to “upholding the highest possible educational standards” and stressed they have “a zero-tolerance policy towards acts of violence”.

Footage posted on social media sites Facebook and Twitter showed groups of teenagers – many of them young girls – fighting with each another outside the station at around 5pm on Tuesday. “Then there were hundreds of them shouting at each other. I was scared. Police were trying to stop them but they couldn’t”.