Disorder broke out in Milton Keynes after an "Easter egg hunt" event descended into chaos, just days after similar scenes of unrest in Clapham High Street and Birmingham. Dozens of teenagers flooded central Milton Keynes on Saturday evening, surrounding police vehicles and clashing with officers as crowds spiralled out of control.

The incident unfolded at around 7.15pm on Saturday, 4 April near the town's shopping district and The Point, where large groups gathered following an event promoted on social media. Witnesses described scenes of panic as shoppers were caught up in the disorder.
One eyewitness said the situation quickly escalated from a small group of around 20 to 30 youths into a much larger crowd.

"More and more teens appeared, and by 7.15 there were loads of them," she told The Sun, describing how the atmosphere turned volatile within minutes.

According to her account, two teenage girls were escorted by officers towards a patrol car before tensions flared further.

"Kids started swarming the police car, stopping them from leaving even though it was trying to reverse," she said.

Security staff were reportedly unable to contain the crowd as some youths pushed back against attempts to disperse them. More than 10 police vehicles were sent to the scene as officers struggled to regain control.

Footage circulating online appears to show police restraining a young person on the ground while others scatter in different directions.

"Multiple children were trying to barge into the police, and officers had to push them back," the witness added. "It was honestly terrifying to witness."

Thames Valley Police said the gathering was linked to an Easter event in nearby Campbell Park that had been widely promoted online and drew a large crowd earlier in the day.

A spokesperson said officers initially monitored what was a "good natured" event but introduced a dispersal order as behaviour deteriorated.

"As the numbers increased and crowd behaviour changed, a Section 34 dispersal order for Central Milton Keynes was authorised at 7.26pm," the force said.

"A small number of individuals were briefly detained to prevent further disturbance. One person was arrested but later de-arrested."

The order remained in place until 8am the following morning. The unrest comes amid growing concern about so-called "social media link ups", where large groups of young people coordinate mass gatherings online.