Hampshire(UK) Armed police were called to a major public order incident on Sunday afternoon after a large fight broke out near a Sikh temple. The violent brawl reportedly involved around 40 people and occurred at approximately 2:30 pm between Northbrook Road and St. Mark’s Road, outside Gurdwara Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib.
According to police, three individuals reported that they had been assaulted during the incident. Authorities clarified that none of the victims sustained serious injuries. Initial assessments suggest that those involved were known to each other, and police have stressed that there was no threat to the wider community.
An eyewitness, who wished to remain anonymous, described chaotic scenes as the situation escalated. The witness said groups of people were shouting, screaming, and running in different directions, with some individuals allegedly armed with bats. “From what I saw, there were lots of people fighting and screaming at each other, people running away from the scene and others running towards each other,” the witness said.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary responded swiftly to the call, deploying significant resources to the area. The eyewitness reported that around six police vehicles, armed officers, and dog units arrived at the scene within ten minutes. Police were able to quickly intervene and bring the situation under control, dispersing those who remained as several individuals fled before officers arrived.
Due to the heavy emergency response, St Marks Road was temporarily closed to traffic. An ambulance was also present at the scene as a precaution while police managed the incident and ensured public safety.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Hampshire police said officers attended St Marks Road following reports of a street fight at around 2.25 pm on December 21. “Enquiries were conducted in the area, including identifying and securing CCTV evidence, and our investigation is continuing,” the spokesperson said. Police reiterated that the incident is believed to be isolated and reassured residents that there is no ongoing risk to the wider community.