Parents of teenagers escorted onto trains out of Manchester city centre amid dispersal order hit out at GMP - as kids from traveller communities caught in crowds

Greater Manchester Police have defended the use of a dispersal order in Manchester city centre after footage shared on social showed scores of young people - many understood to be from traveller communities - being escorted onto trains heading out of town.

The footage shows dozens of uniformed police officers ushering teenagers onto trains at Victoria station. The force has confirmed it was part of a 'dispersal order' to prevent trouble in the city centre. They say they broke up two fights among youths this afternoon (Saturday, November 23).

Parents of youngsters from traveller communities caught up in the police operation at the station contacted the Manchester Evening News to complain about GMP's response.

READ MORE: Dispersal order in force across city centre as 'youths gather to cause trouble'

Sarah Smith, from Stoke-on-Trent, said her daughters - aged 21 and 14 - came to visit the markets and see friends. She told the M.E.N: "They've just come here to go shopping. It was a day at the markets and visit family and friends and do a little bit of Christmas shopping.

It's ridiculous and embarrassing when you are a traveller. They've turned up to meet their cousins and do a bit of girlie shopping. This is not the way to treat the travelling community."

Another parent, who asked not to be named, added: "They're just going to the Christmas markets. There are kids there who are 12 and 13, dressing up to meet their friends. Are they really causing trouble? It's ridiculous."

John King, 42, from Nottinghamshire, said his 19-year-old daughter and sons, aged 13 and 16, travelled to Manchester by taxi to meet up with friends, adding: "All the travellers are going up there to meet up and to go around the markets. They haven't even been allowed out of the train station.

"They never got past the train station. There were kids being put on trains and they had no idea where they were going. You can here them on the videos saying 'where are we going?' They're only young people... kids."

When the M.E.N. asked GMP for a comment on the criticism, a spokesperson said: "We are responding to reports of hundreds of youths gathering in Manchester city centre and causing disturbances for retail staff and patrons of the markets.

"Additional powers have authorised enabling officers to manage groups involved in anti-social behaviour more effectively, and so far, we have issued 40 dispersal orders which instructs someone likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress to leave an area immediately."

A man and a teenage boy were arrested at Exchange Square on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker in separate incidents, the force has said. The arrest of the youth followed moves by officers to break up a fight, said GMP.

The dispersal order, signed by a senior police officer at 12.13pm gives Greater Manchester Police extra powers to order people to leave the city and lock them up if they refuse.

The so-called 'section 34' order covers the next 48 hours and police say it is to prevent. This afternoon officers enforcing the order around Exchange Square arrested a man on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.

Superintendent, Phil Spurgeon within GMP’s specialist operations unit said earlier today: "We are monitoring and managing a significant increase in footfall across Manchester City Centre and throughout our districts with groups of youth gathering together and causing disturbances.

"I have authorised a dispersal order under S34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act across all Greater Manchester. This is in response to a rising number of reports and in the interest of protecting the public from excessive anti-social behaviour, disorder, and criminality over the weekend.

"This order should help visitors travel across GM with ease and enable residents to go about their daily activities. There will be an increase in police presence with neighbourhood officers deployed. If you have any concerns, please do approach them, they are there to keep you safe.

"If you see anything suspicious report it to police on 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency."