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Cathedral curfew 'no solution' to problem
NEW police powers to clear anti-social youngsters from the centre of Birmingham have come under fire from child welfare bosses.
Curfew-style dispersal orders were introduced this week to protect the Grade One-listed St Philip's Cathedral following years vandalism attacks.
The powers - which can be used after 9pm on troublesome youths - allow officers to "remove under 16s to their place of residence for up to 24 hours."
But the Children's Commissioner for England Sir Al Aynsley-Green said: "Moving a problem onto elsewhere will not provide a lasting solution."
And National Youth Agency spokesman Peta Halls warned:"These powers discriminate against one particular group in society and there's a danger that young people can feel marginalised."
But Yardley's Liberal Democrat MP John Hemmings backed the new measures.
He said: "It's sad that we have a society in which people don't believe they need to respect others, so from time to time things like this need to happen."
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