Tube drinks party sparks mayhem

[N.O.R.F]

Tube drinks party sparks mayhem

 

Six London Underground stations were closed as trouble flared when thousands of people marked the banning of alcohol on London transport with a party.

 

Four tube drivers, three other staff members, and two police officers were assaulted, and there were 17 arrests.

 

Several trains were damaged and withdrawn from service, which led to suspended services.

 

Drinkers gathered on Tube trains and station concourses for a last drink before the ban came in at midnight.

 

Police said what should have been a fun event came to an "unfortunate" end.

 

'Like rush hour but fun'

 

The ban on drinking from - or carrying - open containers of alcohol applies to the Tube, London buses, Docklands Light Railway and trams as of midnight on Saturday.

 

It was announced by London Mayor Boris Johnson shortly after he took office, with the aim of making public transport safer and more pleasant.

 

It's sweaty on there but I'm going round and round until I vomit

 

Peter Moore, from Brighton

 

 

Booze ends with a bang

Tube party in pictures

 

The party, mostly on the Circle Line, was dubbed the Last Round on the Underground or Last Orders. It had previously been widely advertised on social networking and other internet sites.

 

The party began in a celebratory mood, with many people in good spirits and anticipating a good night.

 

Londoner Matt Wynn, 43, a banker, said: "I've come along with a bottle of Champagne because I want to show that you can drink responsibly on the Tube and not cause trouble."

 

But others took a different approach from the beginning.

 

Peter Moore, 35, a sailor from Brighton, said he had downed a can of beer in 10 seconds. "It's sweaty on there, but I'm going round and round until I vomit," he said.

 

'More considerate'

 

Transport for London's director of transport policing and enforcement, Jeroen Weimar, said the new policy on alcohol was a reasonable one.

 

"We are encouraging our passengers to show a bit more respect and to be more considerate and involve other people's views and other passengers views as they make their journeys," he said.

 

"And clearly drinking alcohol can create a culture whereby people feel it's ok to do that sort of thing, it's ok to get more drunk when you're travelling.

 

"We're not going to the stage where we're saying we're not going to carry people who've had a few drinks and who are trying to get home."

 

Damaged police vehicle

 

As Saturday night wore on, eyewitnesses described how drunken partygoers began fighting and vomiting, ripping up maps and adverts, spilling alcohol and leaving debris.

 

 

Liverpool Street was one of six stations closed after it was mobbed

British Transport Police said there was a "large amount" of instances of disorder reported.

 

Liverpool Street underground station was closed to ease overcrowding for several hours. Other Tube stations closed by police were Euston, Euston Square, Aldgate, Gloucester Road and Baker Street.

 

Seventeen people were arrested for offences such as assault, being drunk and disorderly, assaulting police, public order related offences and drug offences, BTP said.

 

One police vehicle was damaged and two officers assaulted and another injured.

 

Police also reported four assaults on train drivers and three assaults on other members of London Underground staff.

 

There were also "multiple instances" of Tube trains being damaged, which meant they were withdrawn from service, which in turn led to several Tube services being suspended.

 

'Dangerous'

 

Superintendent Ellie Bird said she had no doubt that the event had begun with a small number of people keen to have fun without causing trouble.

 

 

Other Tube passengers reported debris, broken glass and spilled alcohol

But she added: "Alcohol has a significant impact on crime and anti social behaviour, not only rendering people more vulnerable but raising levels of aggression.

 

"Those under the influence of alcohol are more likely to cause disruption to the service through their physical state and conduct.

 

"We have seen numerous examples this evening of the negative impact of alcohol and antisocial behaviour. It is dangerous for those individuals and others."

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7429638.stm

 

Watch the video LoL

[Jacaylbaro]

these ppl are really crazy ,,,,,,,

 

Do you really have to drink in order to stop ???

[Ibtisam]

Please tell me, I am not the only one who forgot about the damn parties and got stuck in the tube with 100s of drunk people! :eek: :eek: I even considered walking home.

[Jacaylbaro]

Then we shall say you participated without drinking ,,,,,,,

[Aaliyyah]

^ lol you and ur odd sense of humor. You should have asked if she was alright

[N.O.R.F]

Ibtisam, you have another reason to blame good old Boris

 

Two thumbs up from me for the new Mayor of London :cool:

[Ibtisam]

Loool JB! Haha

 

Northerner. To be honest I don't think it will make a difference. Most people who causes problems on the tube/ buses are already wasted beyond believe. This will just make them drink tons before getting on and then causing problems. MAybe if they said no drunks allowed, dictatorship stlye.

[-Serenity-]

Originally posted by Ibtisam:

Please tell me, I am not the only one who forgot about the damn parties and got stuck in the tube with 100s of drunk people! :eek: :eek: I even considered walking home.

No you werent. I was stuck in the district line at midnight in earls court. And had to fork out a hefty cab bill to get home.

 

Public transport is so maddening! I dont know why I was on public transport on a weekend anyway! I have a car and should be making use of it, but once u get addicted to the wretched luxury of inactive commuting, its difficult to wean yourself off it!

[MAXIMUS POWERS]

This is exactly why i voted for Boris, so the likes of serenity can get home safely. The things i would do for my people!

[Thierry.]

Well done Boris, I too was stuck at Bayswater with what looked like the German Beer festival. But I opted for other means of transport.

 

Ibti in time it will change the way smoking habits are changing

[Paragon]

Bravo Boris! Bravo!

 

As a regular late-night tube and bus traveller, this is good news.

 

Tube is nothing compared to waiting for a bus in the city from 2 - 3 am.

 

Glad drinks are gone.

[Valenteenah.]

I forgot that crap was going on as well. Ended up stuck at Fulham Broadway for an hour.

 

I think the alcohol ban is a wasted policy (no pun intended), the problem isn't so much drinking on the tube but DRUNKS on the Tube.