Key Points
- Merseyside Police made arrests after reports of gangs of youths armed with machetes and involved in fights and assaults in Liverpool city centre.
- A Section 60 order was put in place at 3pm on Thursday, July 23, and ran until 3pm on Friday, July 24.
- The order gave officers enhanced stop-and-search powers without the usual need for reasonable grounds in the designated area.
- The area covered much of Liverpool city centre, including the waterfront and several major roads and streets.
- The authorisation applied to males and females aged between 12 and 30 whom officers believed may have been involved in criminal activity.
- Police said the powers were introduced after a series of incidents in the city centre linked to disorder and criminality.
- Separate earlier police action in Liverpool city centre has also included extra stop-and-search powers in response to youth violence, anti-social behaviour and weapons-related concerns.
Liverpool City Centre (Liverpool standard) – It has reported that arrests were made after gangs of youths with machetes continued to terrorise uk/local/liverpool-city-centre/">Liverpool city centre. The paper said police were granted extra stop-and-search powers following reports of groups of youths armed with machetes, involved in fights and assaults in the area.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the Section 60 order came into force at 3pm on Thursday, July 23, and remained active until 3pm on Friday, July 24. That order allowed officers to stop and search people suspected of being involved in violence, criminality or disorder without the normal requirement to show reasonable grounds within the designated zone.
The report said the designated area covered much of the city centre, stretching across streets and roads including Princess Parade, William Jessop Way, Waterloo Road, Paisley Street, Great Howard Street, Leeds Street, Byrom Street, Hunter Street, Islington, Brunswick Road, Low Hill, Hall Lane, Towerlands Street, Irvine Street, Mount Vernon Road, Grove Street, Oxford Street East, Smithdown Lane, Crown Street, Upper Parliament Street, Parliament Street, Queens Dock and the waterfront back to Waterloo Road.
Why were powers increased?
Merseyside Police used the order because of repeated incidents involving large groups of youths, weapons concerns and disorder in the city centre. In a separate earlier operation, police said more than 200 stop searches were carried out in the city centre over one weekend after anti-social behaviour and violent crime committed by large groups of youths.
That earlier police action also used a Section 34 order, which gave officers powers to direct people to leave the area and not return for up to 48 hours if they were suspected of causing or likely to cause crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour. Police said that anyone returning after being directed to leave risked arrest.
Liverpool Echo also reported in April 2026 that Merseyside Police had introduced enhanced powers in Liverpool city centre after a rise in crime and disturbances involving youth gangs during the school break. That report said extra police personnel were deployed to provide a visible presence and that a Section 60AA authorisation also allowed officers to arrest people who did not comply with requests to remove face coverings.
What did police say?
According to the Liverpool Echo report, the authorisation was intended to help officers respond to violence and disorder in the most affected parts of the city centre. The order applied to people officers reasonably suspected of involvement in criminality or disorder, with a specific focus on the age range identified by police.
In the April 2026 report, Liverpool City Centre Neighbourhood Inspector Jack Woodward said the Section 60 Order was “a proactive measure” giving officers authority to stop and search individuals suspected of carrying weapons. He said the decision followed multiple reports of violent incidents during the Easter school break, including the stabbing of a teenager at the Albert Dock.
BBC reporting on a later Liverpool Section 60 order showed that Merseyside Police commonly frame these measures as a way to prevent crime or serious violence while not hindering lawful activity. That report said the force’s enhanced powers included the ability to inspect vehicles and confiscate hazardous items or face coverings.
What areas were covered?
The July 23 order was broad and covered central Liverpool, including the waterfront and key shopping and transport routes. That meant the police could use their powers across a large part of the city where foot traffic, nightlife and transport links overlap.
Earlier Section 60 measures also covered city-centre and nearby districts during periods of heightened concern. In one case, the police said the zone included streets such as William Brown Street, London Road and all railway stations and thoroughfares within the jurisdiction.
Background of the development
Section 60 orders are used in England and Wales to give police temporary extra stop-and-search powers in areas where there is a serious risk of violence or disorder. In Liverpool, such powers have been used repeatedly in response to youth violence, anti-social behaviour, weapon fears and outbreaks of disorder.
The recent reports sit within a wider pattern of policing in central Liverpool during periods of school holidays, protests or heightened public concern. Police have combined stop-and-search powers with visible patrols and, in some cases, face-covering powers in an effort to reduce the risk of further incidents.
Prediction for residents
For people living in or visiting Liverpool city centre, these arrests and the wider police response are likely to mean a stronger visible police presence and more frequent stop-and-search activity in the short term. That may make some residents and businesses feel safer, but it can also lead to friction if public concern over disorder continues.
For young people in the area, the order suggests police are likely to keep focusing on groups they believe may be linked to weapons, violence or anti-social behaviour. For traders, transport users and evening visitors, the immediate effect is likely to be tighter policing around main routes and gathering spots until the current risk eases.
