Police are vowing to leave “no stone unturned” as they attempt to find those involved in recent large-scale disturbances in Manchester city centre.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Manchester City Council, and other partner organisations have joined forces in a bid to “identify and apprehend” the people involved in a number of instances in the Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens areas of the city centre over this past weekend.
Officials have claimed this “kind of behaviour will simply not be tolerated” in Manchester.
It comes after last Friday (21 July), GMP were called to two incidents in the city centre – the first involving “a large group of youths” who were congregating in the Market Street/Piccadilly Gardens area just after 3pm, and the second being after officers became aware of video footage circulating on social media of “several people fighting” on Market Street.
#UPDATE | GMP and partners join forces to leave "no stone unturned" to identify and apprehend people involved in large scale disturbances in the city centre
— Greater Manchester Police (@gmpolice) July 25, 2023
Three arrests were made on suspicion of public order offences after the first incident, and an adult male was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon and affray following the second.
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All those arrested have been released on bail pending further investigations, GMP confirmed.
That’s not all though, as on Monday night (24 July), police were once again called to the city centre following reports of large groups of youths “causing public disorder” – which led to four police officers being assaulted, and subsequently another four people, aged between 16 to 18-years-old, being arrested on suspicion of affray.
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Investigations are currently ongoing to establish whether the three incidents are linked, GMP has revealed, and is working with the Council to “ensure every attempt is made” to identify the instigators of the disturbances.
Police will leave ‘no stone unturned’ to find youths involved in large-scale city centre disturbances / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“We are working closely with our partners to ensure that no stone is left unturned,” Chief Inspector of Neighbourhoods in the City Centre, Stephen Wiggins, assured the public.
“Our investigations are gathering at pace and we will be making more arrests.
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“As part of our large-scale investigation, we have also been undertaking extensive CCTV enquiries and acting on intelligence we have received from members of the public. Officers are being deployed in and around the area in significant numbers to provide reassurance to the local community.”
Several arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, Cllr Luthfur Rahman, says he is committed to making sure “these two unrelated incidents do not reflect Manchester city centre”.
“Together with the police we are sending out a message that we utterly condemn violent or disruptive behaviour in our city.
“We won’t allow these rare incidents to create negative perceptions about our city.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Emily Sergeant -
26th July 2023 
