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A man in his 20s has been arrested as part of a police investigation into the viral “school wars” trend, which encourages pupils to engage in violence.
Officers have also arrested a 15-year-old boy, with both suspects held on suspicion of encouraging or assisting crime.
The online trend, which has spread rapidly across London, has sparked concern among parents and schools, with children as young as 11 warned about carrying weapons ahead of planned mass brawls.
Posters circulating on social media last month, inspired by the notorious Bloods and Crips, show masked figures in red and blue and assign schools to rival sides.
Shared widely on Snapchat, TikTok and Instagram, the posts list Year 7 to Year 11 schools aligned with either “Red” or “Blue” teams, prompting parents to issue warnings on Facebook.
Boroughs including Hackney, Islington, Camden, Newham, Croydon and Greenwich have been pitted against one another, while separate posts titled “Havering Wars” and “Rainham Wars” have also begun circulating among pupils in east London.
A spokesperson for Met Police said: “On Sunday, 1 March at approximately 18:45hrs, Met officers arrested two individuals in Central East London in connection with a recent trend of social media posts.
“Both suspects, a man aged in his 20s and a boy aged 15, were arrested on suspicion of encouraging or assisting in a crime. They remain in police custody.
“A strong police presence remains around schools, particularly at the end of the school day.
“Local officers continue to work alongside local authority partners, school leaders and parents, whose joint robust response has been vital in protecting young people across the last week.”
