Anger over anti-social behaviour at Herne Bay meeting

Hundreds gathered at the King's Hall to voice their concerns.  Local Democracy Reporter Ollie Leader reports.

Transcript

00:00They've got nowhere to go, nothing to do.

00:06They went outside to investigate, group of youths kicking in the doors of the toilets in Wibbery Square.

00:14And who is taking the breath of responsibility for their behavior and how could that be an act?

00:19Tensions at a boiling point on a sweltering June evening,

00:23with hundreds cramming into the King's Hall to discuss anti-social behavior, terrorizing Herne Bay.

00:33The foreign students that we have come in to visit Herne Bay,

00:37they're verbally attacked, lots and lots of racist remarks,

00:44physically abused, they've had rocks and stones thrown at them,

00:49the local children are using catapults against them,

00:52and basically they're just causing an awful lot of trouble.

00:56Local representatives took to the stage with Kent Police and Canterbury City Council officers

01:03on hand to answer the tough questions.

01:08What are you doing? Because I don't see the police.

01:12We have got extra resources, the extra police officers they talked about,

01:16so getting us up to about two dozen out of Herne Bay Police Station

01:20and then all the community safety additions as well who are coming to help.

01:24I think now it's about how do we deploy those people?

01:27But despite the eye rolls and head shaking,

01:30do those living in Herne Bay feel more confident now than they did before?

01:36I've heard an awful lot tonight about programs, incentives and schemes,

01:40but what do they come to if it doesn't actually get a result at the end of it?

01:45A lot of platitudes, there was a lot of back-slapping,

01:47lots of ideas that all sound good in theory,

01:53but what the residents of Herne Bay actually need is action.

01:57There were quite a few points that came out which I thought were quite good.

02:04You know, it is about sort of understanding which children are doing it,

02:09why they're doing it.

02:11With more police officers expected to hit the Herne Bay beat next month,

02:17there is hope violence could cool down here,

02:21even as the weather heats up.

02:25Olly Lieder in Herne Bay.

02:27How to Start Back

02:28What?

02:32How to Start Back

02:43What?

02:46What's the thought ahead of her?

02:51What?

02:53What?

02:53How to Start Back

02:55What?