The White House has so far not addressed the rash (Picture: AFP)
President Donald Trump had a visible red blotch with peeling parts seen on the right side of his neck at a ceremony earlier today.
At a Medal of Honour Ceremony in the White House today, photographers captured the red rash which has sparked further health worries for the 79-year-old leader.
President Trump’s physician, Dr Sean Barbabella, told Metro: ‘He is using a very common cream on the right side of his neck, which is a preventative skin treatment, prescribed by the White House Doctor.
‘The President is using this treatment for one week, and the redness is expected to last for a few weeks.’
The White House hasn’t commented on what caused the rash, but online, people have speculated it could be an allergic reaction or outbreak of shingles.
The alleged rash comes weeks after the US President was spotted with a fresh black and blue bruise on his left hand at Davos.
Trump’s doctors have previously boasted of his good health (Picture: AP)
The US leader has previously been photographed with large bruises on the back of his right hand.
Trump’s doctor, Sean Barbabella, said Trump takes around 325mg of aspirin daily to prevent a heart attack or stroke. The average dose is roughly 100mg.
The President told the Wall Street Journal: ‘They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart.
‘I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense? They’d rather have me take the smaller one, but I take the larger one, but I’ve done it for years, and what it does do is it causes bruising.’
A large bruise was on Trump’s hand in February (Picture: Getty)
The White House has also addressed Trump’s hand bruising, claiming it was from ‘frequent handshaking’.
Previously, it was speculated that the bruise could have been from IV infusions, thin skin, blood thinners, or the president’s old age.
In February, a large bruise appeared on the back of Trump’s right hand as he sat with his hands folded while meeting French President Emmanuel Macron.
After facing backlash for not cutting the moment from the live broadcast, the BBC removed the entire awards ceremony from iPlayer.
A day later, Davidson then spoke out, saying he feels ‘deeply mortified if anyone considers [his] involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.’
Now, however, American comedy sketch show SNL has caused further controversy for ‘mocking’ the Tourette’s disability.
Despite being cut for time on the episode, which aired on February 28, the sketch was shared on YouTube where it has received more than 1million views.
Storrie pretended to be Armie Hammer, who was accused of sexual abuse and misconduct (Picture: NBC)
Featuring Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie, who was making his debut as SNL host, the sketch included a variety of parodied performances of controversial celebrities, from Mel Gibson to Bill Cosby, Armie Hammer and J.K. Rowling.
As the SNL cast impersonated the celebrities, each explained how they had said or done something controversial because of the Tourette’s syndrome.
Andrew Dismukes, who was pretending to be Gibson, for example, said: ‘I too suffer from Tourette’s, which explains a lot of the things I’ve said or yelled through the years.
‘Am I proud of what I said? No. But I am very proud for you to know that it was because of Tourette’s. Unfortunately, I’m not alone.’
James Austin Johnson, playing comedian Louis C.K who in 2017 admitted to several incidents of sexual misconduct, also said: ‘Tourette’s sucks, especially if you get it in your penis.’
Asked about the sketch, Tourette’s Action CEO Emma McNally, who has a longstanding relationship with Davidson and was involved in the production of I Swear, told Variety: ‘Mocking a disability is never acceptable. It would not be tolerated for any other condition, and it should not be tolerated by people with Tourette’s.
John Davidson, 54, was diagnosed with Tourette’s as a child (Picture: Getty)
Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were visibly shocked after hearing a racial slur at the Baftas (Picture: Stuart Wilson/Bafta/Getty Images for Bafta)
‘Tourette’s is a complex neurological condition, of which there is no cure. It is not a joke. It is not a personality trait. It is not a source of entertainment. It is a condition that can be extremely debilitating, causing pain isolation and huge amounts of discrimination.’
She continued: ‘Over recent weeks, our community has faced an unprecedented wave of online trolling, misinformation, and targeted mockery. Following the extremely difficult events surrounding the Baftas, many people with Tourette’s have been struggling with fear, shame, isolation and a HUGE need to defend a condition they cannot control.
‘We had hoped this would be a new week and we could move on but the release of further content online that has been designed to ridicule Tourette’s and reduce our community to a punchline has only deepened that hurt.
‘I want to be completely clear here THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
‘Videos and posts that deliberately misrepresent or sensationalise tics set us back years… The trolling and harassment members of our community have endured in the past few days has been horrific.’
The biographical film about Davidson, I Swear, took home three awards at the Baftas (Picture: Carlo Paloni/Bafta via Getty Images)
Up Next
This comes after Robert Aramayo, who won the Bafta for best actor after portraying Davidson in the biographical film I Swear, called on society to ‘have grace’ towards the ‘complex’ and ‘really misunderstood’ syndrome.
The 33-year-old actor told Metro and other outlets in the winners’ press room: ‘I’m just really happy that I Swear has shone a spotlight on something that is really, really misunderstood.
‘I think that there’s still a lot more education needed around Tourette’s and what it actually is and how we all, as a society, can help.’
As explained by the NHS, Tourette’s is a condition that causes people to make sudden, repetitive sounds or movements, known as tics, with Davidson’s symptoms involving outbursts including swearing.
Metro has contacted Tourette’s Action and NBC for comment.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
William Saliba headed Arsenal ahead midway through the first half, the Premier League leaders scoring from yet another corner.
Chelsea showed their set-piece prowess on the stroke of half-time, equalising from a corner as Piero Hincapie flicked a header into his own net.
The Blues appeared on top in the early stages of the second half but Arsenal took control during a wild four-minute period.
Another Declan Rice corner caused havoc in the Chelsea box and Jurrien Timber headed into a virtually empty net after Sanchez misread the flight of the ball.
Sanchez, who regularly almost gave the ball away, appealed to the referee that he was fouled but Darren England did not spot any infringements and VAR agreed.
Your football fix
Metro's Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week's biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.
Robert Sanchez appealed for a foul for Arsenal’s winner (Picture: Getty)
Trailing by one goal, Chelsea were reduced to ten men just a few minutes later as Pedro Neto, who was carded for dissent, received a second yellow for a late tackle on Gabriel Martinelli.
Chelsea thought they had scored a dramatic injury-time equaliser through Liam Delap but Joao Pedro had strayed into an offside position in the build-up.
While Arsenal restored their five-point lead in the title race, the defeat sees Chelsea slip to sixth in the Premier League, six points outside the Champions League places.
Pedro Neto was sent off against Arsenal (Picture: Getty)
‘Robert Sanchez is all over the place, he’s whinging unnecessarily in my view,’ Neville said on Sky Sports after Arsenal’s winner. ‘Watch Sanchez, not a chance, he’s nowhere near it.
‘It’s really poor goalkeeping. He misreads the flight. He’s had such a poor day, he really has. On the ground and in the air.
‘He will know deep down he wasn’t fouled, he had to create something because he got the flight wrong. Chelsea were doing well up until that point but that swung the momentum.’
Arsenal continue their Premier League title charge on Wednesday night against Brighton, while Chelsea will look to end a three-game winless run at Aston Villa.
Speaking after Arsenal’s win over Chelsea, former Manchester United and England defender Neville added: ‘They found a way.
‘It’s never easy to play second, especially when Man City get the points on the board. It adds pressure, it does. But they got over the line. It’s a good day for the Gunners.’
The title race has ebbed and flowed throughout the season but looks set to go right down to the final weeks of the campaign.
City have blown hot and cold this season, but a hard-fought 1-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday evening saw them move within two points of Arsenal at the top of the table.
The Gunners will have the chance to restore their five-point lead on Sunday, but face a potentially tricky encounter at home against fifth-place Chelsea.
And Merson said his former side should expect a tough test against the Blues, who are fighting hard to keep themselves in the mix for Champions League qualification next season.
‘For me, I think they’ve got to take the game to Chelsea,’ he said on Sky Sports. ‘Chelsea will probably sit back like they did in the semi-final and soak it up and try and get Arsenal on the counter-attack.
‘But yeah, big, big football match this. I think if Arsenal win this game, you could tick another big team off that they’ve beaten.’
Your football fix
Metro's Head of Sport James Goldman delivers punchy analysis, transfer talk and his take on the week's biggest stories direct to your inbox every week.
Mikel Arteta’s side are two points clear at the top of the table (Picture: Getty)
Arsenal should head into the encounter with plenty of confidence after their dominant 4-1 win over arch-rivals Tottenham last weekend.
It was a particularly productive derby day for Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze, who both scored twice to make it a tough first outing for new Spurs boss, Igor Tudor.
Eze now has five goals in his two games against Tottenham this season, but has otherwise not hit those same heights in an Arsenal shirt for large swathes of the season.
Eberechi Eze scored a brace against Tottenham last weekend (Picture: Getty)
Merson, though, believes there is far more to come from Eze in an Arsenal shirt, and said the 27-year-old could be one of the key players for the Gunners in the final ten games of the season.
‘It’s a hard position to play, the 10,’ ha added. ‘You don’t just put someone in there and go, ‘go and do what you want. You’ve got to make things happen’.
‘You’ve got to find pockets and Eze’s very good at that. I thought that was what he was bought for, was to get in those little pockets.
Arsenal need to win the Premier League over the Champions League 🚨 A big question that could shape Arsenal’s future success: do they need to win the Premier League or the Champions League more? In the latest Real Quick Tho episode, we break it all down. #arsenal#championsleague#footballopinions#premierleaguefootball#footballfans
‘If you get him on the ball, he can turn, he’s elegant, he goes past people like they’re not there.
‘That game was perfect for Arteta. They win the game 4-1 and Gyokeres gets two goals and Eze scores two. If you could pick two players you want to score the goals, that would be it.
‘If these two hit fire until the end of the season, Arsenal win the league if they can go and be 8 out of 10 every week.
‘We said at the start of the season, when Eze got bought, he was the X Factor. He was the one that was going to get them over the line and I still think that could be the case, as long as he plays and Arteta trusts him.’
But asked if Eze has the full trust of Arteta yet, Merson replied: ‘No, I don’t think he does trust a lot of people. I think Arteta plays on sparks, where he’ll watch someone, they’ll do something wrong, and then you’re out of the team.
‘I’ve seen it with Calafiori not long ago. He had a nightmare game, gets ripped off, and doesn’t play again.
‘Eze gets caught on the far post against Matty Cash at Aston Villa and don’t really play again. You’ve got to give them a chance. Trust in them more, these players. I don’t think he does that enough, in my opinion.’
Earlier today, the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority announced that the country’s airspace had been temporarily closed as the situation escalated, including debris falling on Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah.
Bangs have been heard across the city from missiles being intercepted by the air defence systems.
The UK Foreign Office has also advised against travel to the Middle East.
Pattison, who was holidaying with her husband Ercan Ramadan, shared an update with followers explaining that her flight to Sydney was no longer going ahead.
She updated followers about her situation after a day of escalating international tensions (Picture: Instagram/Vicky Pattison)
She was previously sharing photos of her and husband Ercan on holiday (Picture: Instagram/Vicky Pattison)
She explained that her ‘flight was cancelled and now we’re effectively stuck in Dubai’ and confirmed that they were ‘ok’.
She continued: ‘We are currently in our hotel and have been assured were safe.
‘We are aware that the situation unfolding is scary and I’m also aware that there’s a lot of videos circulating on social media which are understandably concerning.
‘I’m not sure what else to say, other than we’re doing our best to stay calm, not feed any unconfirmed narratives and we’re thinking of everyone who is feeling unsettled and unsafe right now.’
She and her husband had planned to fly to Sydney tonight (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Other people who have posted from Dubai about the situation include Lee Andrews and Laura Anderson (Picture: @wesleeeandrews)
Earlier today, Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews, who stayed behind in Dubai when the reality star returned to the UK, also shared a government update confirming that ‘the security situation in the UAE remains stable’.
Meanwhile, Love Island star Laura Anderson also issued an update.
‘Horrendous situation, Bonnie and I are fine,’ she said of her and her daughter.
The five-star £245 million ($330 million) Palm Jumeirah Fairmont was engulfed in flames with emergency serives seena round the 14-storey building.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Amazon has officially started production on its live action God Of War TV series, and it looks and sounds very faithful to the 2018 reboot.
Video game adaptations have become a common part of the modern TV and film landscape, with Sonic The Hedgehog, Fallout, A Minecraft Movie, and HBO’s The Last Of Us being among the most successful so far.
There are countless other adaptations in the works, with Mortal Kombat 2 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie just around the corner, but one of the more unexpected is Amazon’s God Of War series.
On Friday (January 27), Amazon confirmed it has officially started production on the series and shared a first-look photo. It doesn’t look bad per say, but it looks about as awkward (and creatively redundant) as you’d expect from a very faithful recreation of the 2018 reboot in TV form.
The photo shows Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus, as the latter practises his archery skills. The pose and the look on Kratos’ face are very odd though, like it’s a cosplayer helping out in a comedy sketch.
Hurst is best known for roles in Sons Of Anarchy and The Walking Dead, but he also notably played Thor in 2022’s God of War Ragnarök, so this is an interesting pivot into Kratos’ shoes.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
Vinson, meanwhile, starred in the Chucky TV series and is set to play a young Jason Voorhees in the upcoming Friday The 13th spin-off series, Crystal Lake.
Other confirmed cast members include Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Ed Skrein as Baldur, Max Parker as Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri, and Danny Woodburn as Brok.
The show’s synopsis makes it clear that it’s adapting the story of the 2018 game: ‘The God Of War series storyline follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye,’ a press release description reads. ‘Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human.’
The game’s director Cory Barlog is an executive producer on the show, alongside Maril Davis, Naren Shankar, Hermen Hulst, and others. The most promising sign is the fact it’s led by showrunner Ronald D. Moore, who is known for his work on Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, Outlander, and Apple’s For All Mankind.
Amazon has already ordered two seasons of the show, so it’s clearly confident it’s going to be a hit out the gate. A release date hasn’t been officially announced, but based on TV production schedules, it’s expected to debut in 2027.
If you’re hoping for a new God Of War game to coincide with its launch though, you might be out of luck. Just recently, Santa Monica Studio announced it was in early development on a God Of War Trilogy Remake.
Cory Barlog’s next game, however, is expected to be shown later this year. It’s unclear if it’s related to the God Of War franchise but even if it is, it’s not expected to be a mainline sequel.
A new God Of War game, Sons Of Sparta, dropped earlier this month (Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Surely there’ll be a new game reveal at the showcase, right? (Nintendo)
For the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, Nintendo is re-releasing old games and potentially announcing brand new ones.
The 30th anniversary celebrations for Pokémon look set to last all year, but the actual anniversary date – Friday, February 27 – is important for fans, as Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are holding a new Pokémon Presents that day, to showcase new announcements.
So, ahead of the occasion, we’ve put together everything you need to know about the showcase and FireRed and LeafGreen’s Switch release.
How to watch the 30th anniversary Pokémon Presents
The Pokémon Presents is scheduled to air on Friday, February 27 at 2pm GMT via both the official Pokémon YouTube and Twitch channels.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
All that’s officially known about it is that it’ll run for 25 minutes, which according to Serebii’s Joe Merrick makes it one of the longer Pokémon Presents showcases.
For those who are concerned about length, here's prior Pokémon Day Presents length2021: 20 minutes2022: 14 minutes2023: 25 minutes2024: 12 minutes2025: 19 minutes2026: 25 minutesIt's actually on the longer side for a Pokémon Day one.
Will Pokémon Generation X be announced at the Pokémon Presents?
Officially, the contents of the showcase aren’t known, but it can be safely assumed it will provide the latest updates on the various Pokémon mobile games and the trading card game.
There could also be release dates for when spin-offs Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale Of Darkness will be added to the GameCube library for Switch Online subscribers. (As a reminder, GameCube games are only available on Switch 2.)
The two GameCube Pokémon games were among the first ones announced for Switch 2 (Nintendo)
As for entirely new game announcements, the most likely candidate is the next mainline game that will kickstart the tenth generation of Pokémon, aka Generation X.
According to leaks, it’s allegedly called Pokémon Wind and Waves and considering Generation IX – Pokémon Scarlet and Violet – launched in 2022, the series’ release cycle means we’re on track for Generation X to release this year.
If it’s anything like the Scarlet and Violet reveal, you’ll see some glimpses of gameplay and a few of the new pokémon designs, as well as a release window. It’s not guaranteed but most fans agree it’s very likely.
Don't miss Gaming news! Add us as a Preferred Source
As a loyal GameCentral reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for gaming stories. We have all the latest video games news, reviews, previews, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.
Click here and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.
GameCentral has been delivering unique games news and reviews for over a decade
What are Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen?
If you’re new to the Pokémon series, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen are Game Boy Advance remakes of the very first Pokémon games for the original Game Boy, featuring improved graphics, mechanics, and quality of life touches.
They also contain a brand new post-game where you can visit the Sevii Islands to catch new pokémon not normally available in the main game and complete new side missions.
Like other Pokémon titles, the only major difference between FireRed and LeafGreen is that they have a handful of exclusive pokémon not available in the other version. Otherwise, they are fundamentally the same.
Rather than being available through the Nintendo Switch Online service, both versions are being sold for £16.99 each on Switch (and through backwards compatibility on Switch), starting from February 27 after the showcase wraps up.
There are no plans to make FireRed and LeafGreen available physically and they lack any online functionality, but you will be able to trade and battle with friends via local wireless multiplayer.
Will you be playing Pokémon FireRed or LeafGreen this weekend? (Nintendo)
The creative director behind the next Assassin’s Creed title has left Ubisoft, as the franchise continues to see upheaval behind the scenes.
Ubisoft might be struggling its way out of financial trouble, following a string of flops, but their biggest franchise, Assassin’s Creed, has remained in pretty healthy shape.
The latest instalment, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, performed well critically and commercially, to the point where Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot described the franchise as ‘over-performing’ during an earnings call in November last year.
And yet despite that the franchise has seen some drastic changes behind the scenes, culminating in the exit of the next game’s director.
As reported by VGC, Clint Hocking, the creative director behind Assassin’s Creed Hexe, has left Ubisoft. Hocking is known for directing Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, the seminal Far Cry 2, and Watch Dogs: Legion, and previously left Ubisoft in 2010, only to return five years later.
The reason for his departure is unclear, but development on Hexe will continue with new creative director Jean Guesdon. He previously served as creative director on Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag and Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
Guesdon is one of three newly announced bosses overseeing the Assassin’s Creed franchise as a whole. As confirmed this week, he will lead the direction of the IP at Ubisoft’s new subsidiary, Vantage Studios, alongside Martin Schelling and François de Billy.
Schelling has worked across several Assassin’s Creed titles in the past, going as far back as 2011’s Assassin’s Creed: Revelations. De Billy, meanwhile, was the production director on Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Origins.
In regards to Hocking’s exit, a Ubisoft spokesperson stated: ‘We sincerely thank [Clint] for his vision, creative contributions, and dedication over the years, and we wish him the very best in his next chapter. Development on Assassin’s Creed Codename Hexe continues with a seasoned team.’
Hexe was originally announced in 2022, and appears to have a Blair Witch style horror element, although nothing has been seen from the title since its initial reveal.
This isn’t the only Assassin’s Creed-related ruckus over the past few months. Series veteran Marc-Alexis Côté left Ubisoft in October, but subsequently filed a lawsuit against the company claiming it was a ‘disguised dismissal’ and that he was asked to step aside.
Although change is clearly needed at Ubisoft, Assassin’s Creed is the one franchise that seemed to be trucking along without too many issues. Which suggests that the company is serious about rooting out its problems at every level.
Last week, Ubisoft’s CEO confirmed there were ‘several’ Assassin’s Creed titles in development, including ‘both single-player and multiplayer’ games. Along with Hexe, one of these is rumoured to be a Black Flag remake.
The north London ‘school wars’ have spread all over London
‘School wars’ have spread all over London with teenagers encouraged to ‘be violent’ towards each other.
Parents have been told to pick up their children directly from school, officers are patrolling outside schools and dispersal orders have been imposed after posts calling on children to ‘be violent’ have gone viral.
The first post made almost two weeks ago declared ‘war’ between eight different schools in Hackney – just days after two pupils were stabbed at Kingsbury High School.
It encouraged pupils to bring sharp objects such as compasses and metal combs, and divided the schools into ‘red’ and ‘blue’ sides.
And now other areas have followed suit, including in Newham, Harrow and Croydon – to name just a few.
Tower Hamlets have also organised their own, which lists a number of schools on the ‘green’ or ‘black’ side.
Other posts have also organised on fights between entire boroughs, including one covering North London.
Even Ealing has been pitted against Waltham Forest, with 20 points awarded to ‘juggin them’ and 10 points for ‘banging them’.
The point scoring system for the ‘school wars’
Sharp objects are being encouraged to be brought along, which parents fear could lead to serious injuries (Picture: Metro)
The ‘school wars’ based in Harrow
Who is making the posts?
Some pupils say that not only is there no desire to take part in the fights, but they do not believe the posts were even made by students.
To get the latest news from the capital, visit Metro'sLondon news hub.
A year 10 student in Hackney told Metro: ‘People are just trying to fearmonger parents. Most schools are interlinked and have good relationships.
‘These people like to create fear and worry that is already in our communities. But any teenager with common sense would not meet somewhere where the police have been told about and bring a weapon.’
So far no footage has emerged of any of the ‘fights’, in part due to the Met Police’s swift approach to issue a dispersal order outside of the McDonald’s on Mare Street in Hackney after the first post went viral.
‘It’s terrible and scary for all’
Regardless the new posts are still being spread on Tiktok and Snapchat, with many of the comments saying which side they are on.
And parents are deeply worried about what this means for their children.
The ‘school wars’ have also spread to Croydon
Tammy Brown, who lost her son Russell to knife crime in 2-16, has called on Tower Hamlets parents to make sure they know what their children are doing.
She told Metro: ‘It totally took my breath away seeing these posts. I hate to think of another mum or dad getting that knock on the door that turns their world upside down.
‘Innocent kids could be hurt and for what? Absolutely nothing. It’s just school vs school and terrible and scary for all.’
Pupils are also at risk of being ‘jumped’ without knowing about the posts.
One grandmother, who has a grandson in year 9 in Hackney, said as Mare Street is pedestrianied children will be more vulnerable with nowhere to hide.
There is also an inter-borough ‘school wars’ organised
The Newham teams split up between red and blue
She said: ‘There is no hiding on that street, everything is completely open.
‘What if a pupil just happens to be walking through it and gets jumped? It’s a disaster waiting to happen.’
What has the police said?
Commander Neerav Patel said: ‘We’re aware of social media posts circulating and are in close contact with schools across several London boroughs to offer reassurance.
‘Officers will maintain a strong, visible presence around schools, and will respond firmly to any reports of violence or disorder.
‘We continue to closely monitor online spaces and have worked with platforms to request a dozen social media accounts to be disabled where threats or violence were planned or encouraged.
‘I would like to remind young people of the serious consequences of getting involved in matters like this.
‘An arrest, charge and conviction for violence and carrying weapons could mean imprisonment with a significant long-term impact on future opportunities.’
This is the moment a knife-wielding gang do battle with ordinary Londoners defending their streets.
Footage shows a moped gang looting a jewellery shop at 10am in Green Lanes, north London on Tuesday.
One of the gang keeps watch outside the gold shop as another is seen looting the stock. A nearby witness screams ‘Thief’.
The lookout taps on the window as locals approach in an apparent signal to get his fellow thieves to hurry up.
One Londoner armed only with a broom takes the guard on even after he pulls out a huge machete.
Brave Londoners fend off machete gang with brooms thwarting a Green Lanes gold heist(Picture: UKNIP)
The four suspects try to make their escape with two Ikea bags full of stolen goods.
Taking the law into their own hands, Londoners throw bottles and try to knock off the last raider.
The suspect is unable to get on the getaway vehicle and is forced to flee the scene on foot.
Keeping the streets clean: Ordinary Londoner chases off knifeman with broomstreets (Picture: UKNIP)
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said: ‘Police were called at 10.04am on Tuesday, 24 February following reports of an armed robbery at a shop on Green Lanes, Islington.
‘During the incident, a number of members of the public attempted to prevent the suspects from making off. No injuries were reported.
‘Officers arrived on scene at 10.08am and an investigation is ongoing, with officers working quickly to secure evidence and identify suspects. At this stage, no arrests have been made.
