Oxford Street TikTok: Sadiq Khan warns people to avoid major London street today amid social media crime plans

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has warned people to stay away from London’s famous shopping street, Oxford Street, today (9 August), amid apparent plans being circulated on social media site TikTok for people to carry out crime there.

There is also increased police presence on the street, which is one of Europe’s busiest shopping streets and is close to the upmarket areas of Covent Garden, Soho, Mayfair and Marylebone, in response to the plans.

A dispersal order has also been put in place, effective from 11am on Tuesday (8 August)  to 10am on Thursday (10 August), which gives police officers the power to exclude people from the area for 48 hours. Anyone who does not comply with the order can be arrested.

Khan told the PA news agency he was “worried” about the “nonsense” which has been posted on TikTok encouraging people to go to Oxford Street and engage in anti-social behaviour.

He added: “The police understand why some people may be tempted to go to that part of London because of the TikTok. I’d encourage anybody who’s seen it not to go to Oxford Street. Do not allow yourself to be sucked into an area that could be a high crime area.”

He said, however, that he believes the police will ensure that there is no trouble on the street today. “It won’t be (a high crime area) because the police work incredibly hard with the local community, with the retailers in that part of London, and with those citizens who want to have a good day out on Oxford Street rather than being worried about that sort of nonsense.”

The Met Police also took to TikTok to warn people against getting involved with any law-breaking behaviour. A video posted to the Met Police TikTok account yesterday evening (8 August) showed officers from the mounted police unit on the street.

One officer said there would be a police presence in the area all this week as part of their summer crime reduction programme, “to make sure that we listen to what’s happening here in London and we’re able to respond to what’s happening.”

She added: “As some people may be aware, there are plans for anti-social behaviour to happen here on Oxford Street. What I would say to those people that are intending on doing that is that we will be here and we will not tolerate that activity here in London.

The force also sent out posts from two of their X accounts showing officers out on their horses on Oxford Street, adding that “anyone committing a crime can expect to be dealt with robustly.”

If people see or hear anything suspicious on Oxford Street today, they are asked to contact police on 999 in an emergency or 101 if it is a non-emergency.