Key Points
- Merseyside Police made a decision to create a dispersal zone for Everton starting from 3pm on Friday, September 25, 2026.
- The dispersal zone will stay in effect until 3pm on Sunday, September 27.
- This step was taken after reports of young persons’ aggressive behavior and their setting off fireworks in Everton Park.
- It is said that the fireworks were thrown into the high-rise buildings, thus resulting in criminal damage.
- Police officers, as well as Police Community Support & Traffic Officers, can order those people who cause crimes, nuisance or anti-social behavior to leave the area.
- People who are ordered to leave may not return for up to 48 hours.
- The officers can seize the items, including the vehicles, which have been used for causing anti-social behavior.
- Those people who will return after leaving the area might commit an offense, and therefore, be arrested.
- The dispersal order will cover the area of Everton, which includes Everton Valley, Walton Breck Road, Robson Street, Breckfield Road North and South, Boundary Lane, West Derby Road, Brunswick Street, New Islington, Hunter Street, Byrom Street, Scotland Road and Kirkdale Road.
- Merseyside Police asks parents and guardians to warn children about the dangers of using fireworks and
Everton (Liverpool standard) September 25, 2026 — Merseyside Police has introduced a temporary dispersal zone in parts of Everton after reports that young people were behaving aggressively, setting off fireworks in Everton Park and throwing fireworks at tower blocks.
The order came into force at 3pm on Friday and is scheduled to remain in place until 3pm on Sunday, September 27. The measure gives officers additional powers to disrupt suspected anti-social behaviour and prevent further damage or disruption over the weekend.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the dispersal zone was established following reports of fireworks being thrown at high-rise buildings. The report states that the incidents allegedly caused criminal damage to premises.
The order was authorised under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. It applies to a defined area covering several roads and neighbourhoods in and around Everton.
What area does the order cover?
The designated area includes parts of Everton and surrounding routes. The locations listed by Merseyside Police and reported by the Liverpool Echo are:
- Everton Valley.
- Walton Breck Road.
- Robson Street.
- Breckfield Road North.
- Breckfield Road South.
- Boundary Lane.
- West Derby Road.
- Brunswick Street.
- New Islington.
- Hunter Street.
- Byrom Street.
- Scotland Road.
- Kirkdale Road.
The order does not mean that everyone in the area is automatically subject to enforcement action. Its powers relate to people whom officers suspect are causing, or are likely to cause, crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour.
Residents, workers and visitors can continue to use the area, but police have the power to intervene when they believe a person’s behaviour meets the threshold set out in the dispersal order.
What powers do officers have?
Under the order, police officers and Police Community Support & Traffic Officers can direct a person to leave the designated area if they suspect that individual is causing, or is likely to cause, crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour.
A person who is directed to leave may be prevented from returning for up to 48 hours. The ability to impose a period away from the area is intended to separate individuals from the location where disorder is taking place and reduce the likelihood of further incidents.
Officers also have powers to seize items that they believe have been used in anti-social behaviour. The Liverpool Echo reported that this can include vehicles.
The force has also warned that anyone who has previously been directed to leave and then returns to the area could commit an offence. Such a person may ultimately be arrested.
The powers therefore cover more than the immediate dispersal of groups. They also allow officers to remove articles suspected of being involved in anti-social behaviour and take further action when a person ignores an instruction to stay away.
What did Merseyside Police say?
Neighbourhood Inspector Christopher Taylor said the order had been introduced to prevent further disruption and damage during the weekend.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, Taylor said police had received recent reports of youths behaving aggressively and setting off fireworks in Everton Park. He also said fireworks had been thrown at high-rise tower blocks and had caused criminal damage to premises.
Taylor said the dispersal order would give officers “an additional tool” to disrupt the activities of anyone they suspected was likely to commit anti-social behaviour. He added that patrols had been increased to reassure residents in the area.
According to the report, Taylor said police were determined to ensure that Everton Park and the wider community remained safe and enjoyable for people who live in or visit the area. He said that anyone suspected of causing anti-social behaviour would be dealt with through the powers of the order.
The inspector also directed an appeal towards parents and guardians. He urged them to explain the dangers of using fireworks to children and to know where their children were during the weekend.
Taylor warned that parents could face the distress of being contacted by police if a child were arrested or involved in a serious accident. His comments connected the enforcement action with wider concerns about injuries, property damage and the potential consequences of using fireworks irresponsibly.
What should residents do if they have information?
Merseyside Police is asking people with information about the reported incidents to contact the force.
Information can be sent to the Merseyside Police social media desk, @MerPolCC, on X and Facebook. Members of the public can also report information through the force’s online crime-reporting service or by calling 101.
People who want to remain anonymous can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or use its online anonymous reporting form.
The available reporting routes allow residents to provide information about fireworks, suspected anti-social behaviour, criminal damage or people who may be involved in further incidents without approaching those involved directly.
What does the dispersal order mean for the public?
The temporary order gives officers more immediate options when dealing with suspected anti-social behaviour in the specified area. A person may be instructed to leave if officers believe they are causing, or are likely to cause, crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour.
The order is time-limited. It began at 3pm on September 25 and is due to end at 3pm on September 27, unless a further legal measure is introduced. The specific powers apply within the designated area described by Merseyside Police.
The reported incidents involve allegations, and the introduction of the order does not establish that every person in the area has committed an offence. Enforcement decisions will depend on officers’ observations, the circumstances of each incident and the requirements of the relevant legislation.
For residents, the immediate practical issue is to report dangerous or disruptive behaviour rather than confront those involved. Parents and guardians have also been asked to speak to children about fireworks and to monitor their whereabouts during the period covered by the order.
Background: What is a dispersal order?
A dispersal order is a legal measure used by police to address suspected crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour in a defined area for a specified period. Under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, officers can direct individuals to leave when the legal conditions for using the power are met.
In this case, Merseyside Police introduced the order after reports linked to fireworks in Everton Park and alleged damage involving high-rise buildings. The order covers a number of roads across parts of Everton and nearby areas and is due to last for the weekend.
The powers described in the report include directing people to leave, preventing their return for up to 48 hours and seizing items believed to have been used in anti-social behaviour. Returning after being directed to leave may constitute an offence and can lead to arrest.
The measure is separate from any investigation into individual incidents. Police may continue gathering information, assessing evidence and deciding whether further enforcement or criminal proceedings are appropriate.
Prediction: How could this affect Everton residents?
The Everton dispersal zone is likely to produce a more visible police presence in the affected neighbourhoods through the weekend. Residents may see officers and Police Community Support & Traffic Officers carrying out patrols and responding more quickly to reports of fireworks or suspected anti-social behaviour.
People living near Everton Park and the listed roads could experience reduced disruption if the order deters groups from gathering, setting off fireworks or approaching high-rise buildings. However, the effect will depend on whether incidents move elsewhere, whether officers receive timely information and whether people comply with directions to leave.
Young people suspected of involvement may face immediate removal from the area and could be prevented from returning for up to 48 hours. If someone returns after being directed to leave, the person could face arrest, depending on the circumstances.
Parents and guardians are likely to face increased pressure to supervise children and explain that fireworks can cause injury, property damage and police intervention. Residents who witness incidents can help the order work effectively by reporting information through Merseyside Police or Crimestoppers rather than confronting groups themselves.
The immediate impact is expected to last for the duration of the order, ending at 3pm on Sunday, September 27, unless police announce further action.
