Section 35 Dispersal Notice put in place following Mermaid Quay gathering

FOLLOWING  a gathering of a large number of people last night at the Oval Basin in Cardiff Bay, police in Cardiff have put in place a Section 35 Dispersal Order for the Mermaid Quay area in order to give officers additional powers to deal with people acting in an anti-social manner.

Several disturbances broke out yesterday evening which resulted in the arrest of a small number people for being drunk and disorderly.

Chief Inspector Michelle Conquer, said: “There were some unsavoury scenes in Cardiff Bay yesterday which required officers to step in and make arrests.

“Much of it was alcohol fuelled, so we are working with licensees and taking additional policing measures to ensure there is no repeat.

“Alongside the orders we will be maintaining a visible presence and our officers will proactively deal with any issues that may arise.

“It’s important that Cardiff Bay remains a place for everybody to enjoy without the threat of feeling intimidated or worried about the actions of others. Such behaviour won’t be tolerated.”

Section 35 dispersal orders under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, aim to ensure the safety of the public, and reduce the risk of any anti-social behaviour or disorder within this area.

The order gives a uniformed police officer the power to exclude a person from an area for a period of up to 48 hours by the issuing of a written notice.

The power is preventative and allows an officer to deal quickly with someone’s behaviour before it escalates. It is in addition to the current Covid-19 legislation.

In addition to the Section 35 dispersal order, we will also be using powers to confiscate alcohol and if the behaviour meets criminal levels or the order is breached then prosecution will be considered.

Anyone with information on anti-social behaviour can call South Wales Police on 101.