Police Patrol Hackney after School War Post Urges Weapons 2026

Key Points

• Police are patrolling streets in Hackney, East London, following a social media post calling for a violent “Hackney War” involving students from eight schools.​
• The post targets Year 9 pupils, urging them to “be violent” and bring sharp weapons like compasses and metal combs to a mass fight at McDonald’s on Mare Street.
• Schools divided into “red” and “blue” sides: City Academy, Cardinal Pole, Haggerston School, Urswick School, The Excelsior Academy, Bridge Academy, Mossbourne Community Academy, and City of London Academy Shoreditch Park.
• The post asks onlookers to share video footage of attacks with the organiser.
• A concerned parent shared the post on Facebook, warning: “To all you that are parents out there, please speak to your children and inform the local for this needs to be stopped before somebody gets seriously hurt!! I am so saddened and angry by seeing his post and after speaking to friends finding out that this is actually happening in Hackney. Please keep your children safe.”
• Facebook comments include: “I pray police and schools are stopping this” from one user, and “Sad times for young ones” from another.
• Incident follows a stabbing at Kingsbury High School in Brent, where a 13-year-old boy stabbed two younger pupils (Year 7 and 8), charged with attempted murder.
• City of London Academies Trust states: ‘The safety and wellbeing of students is our highest priority. Encouraging, organising, or promoting violence is completely unacceptable, and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. We are actively engaging with parents, carers, the Metropolitan Police Service, and local partners to ensure students are kept safe and fully understand the seriousness of their actions. We are committed to creating a thriving school environment, and ensuring the safety of children and young people.’
• Metropolitan Police spokesperson: “We are aware of these social media posts and are making enquiries to identify those responsible. We will take a robust approach to any violence and use our powers under anti-social behaviour laws to deal with groups intent on disorder. We are working closely with our partners in local schools and the council and would also like to reassure people in Hackney that we will be increasing patrols in the area.”

Hackney (East London Times) February 14, 2026 – Police have increased patrols across Hackney streets after a shocking social media post urged Year 9 pupils from eight East London schools to take part in a violent “Hackney War” at a McDonald’s on Mare Street, calling on them to “be violent” and arm themselves with sharp objects such as compasses and metal combs.

The post, which surfaced online, divides the schools into “red” and “blue” teams and explicitly organises a mass confrontation, with instructions for bystanders to film and send footage to the event’s organiser. This alarming development comes mere days after a 13-year-old boy carried out a stabbing attack at Kingsbury High School in Brent, injuring two younger pupils in separate classrooms.

What Triggered the ‘Hackney War’ Post?

As reported in the Evening Standard by its crime desk team, the social media message announces a “Hackney War” between City Academy, Cardinal Pole, Haggerston School, Urswick School, The Excelsior Academy, Bridge Academy, Mossbourne Community Academy, and City of London Academy Shoreditch Park. The post specifically targets Year 9 students, directing them to gather at the McDonald’s outlet on Mare Street in Hackney, a busy thoroughfare in the heart of the borough.

The call to action is brazen: pupils are told to bring “sharp items, such as compasses and metal combs,” and to embrace violence without restraint. It further requests that “onlookers share video footage of the attacks with the event’s organiser,” raising fears of orchestrated brutality being documented and potentially shared further online.

This echoes concerns over youth violence amplified by digital platforms, with the post’s rapid spread prompting immediate public alarm.

Which Schools Are Involved in the Feud?

The eight schools named in the post are all located in Hackney and neighbouring areas of East London, forming the basis for the “red” versus “blue” division. City Academy, Cardinal Pole Catholic School, Haggerston School, Urswick School, The Excelsior Academy in Acton (though linked via the post), Bridge Academy, Mossbourne Community Academy, and City of London Academy Shoreditch Park are explicitly listed.

No official confirmation from individual schools beyond the City of London Academies Trust has emerged, but the trust, which oversees some of these institutions, has condemned the behaviour outright. Parents and locals have identified these as prominent secondary schools serving diverse communities in the area.

How Have Parents Responded to the Post?

A concerned parent was the first to amplify the issue publicly, sharing the post on Facebook with an urgent plea. She wrote:

“To all you that are parents out there, please speak to your children and inform the local for this needs to be stopped before somebody gets seriously hurt!! I am so saddened and angry by seeing his post and after speaking to friends finding out that this is actually happening in Hackney. Please keep your children safe,” she urged.

Responses poured in, with one worried user commenting: “I pray police and schools are stopping this”. Another lamented: “Sad times for young ones”. These reactions highlight widespread parental anxiety, with calls for immediate intervention to avert tragedy.

What Is the Police Response?

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated:

“We are aware of these social media posts and are making enquiries to identify those responsible. We will take a robust approach to any violence and use our powers under anti-social behaviour laws to deal with groups intent on disorder. We are working closely with our partners in local schools and the council and would also like to reassure people in Hackney that we will be increasing patrols in the area.”

Officers are actively probing the origins of the post, with heightened visibility patrols already underway in Hackney. This proactive stance aims to deter any gathering and signals a zero-tolerance policy towards youth disorder.​

What Does the City of London Academies Trust Say?

City of London Academies Trust issued a firm statement: ‘The safety and wellbeing of students is our highest priority. Encouraging, organising, or promoting violence is completely unacceptable, and this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated. We are actively engaging with parents, carers, the Metropolitan Police Service, and local partners to ensure students are kept safe and fully understand the seriousness of their actions. We are committed to creating a thriving school environment, and ensuring the safety of children and young people.’

The trust emphasised collaboration with authorities to address the threat head-on.​

Why Does This Follow the Recent School Stabbing?

The “Hackney War” post emerged just days after a horrific incident at Kingsbury High School in Brent, north London. As detailed by the Evening Standard’s crime reporters, a 13-year-old former pupil, a British national, entered the school around 12.30pm on Tuesday, sprayed a substance in a classroom (non-noxious), then stabbed a 13-year-old boy before fleeing downstairs to stab a 12-year-old.

Detective Chief Superintendent Helen Flanagan of Counter-Terrorism Policing London noted the suspect was arrested at 4.15pm after being spotted at a nearby mosque, with no terrorism link confirmed and motivation probed as possibly personal. Detective Chief Superintendent Luke Williams described it as a “truly shocking” one-off event, with swift arrest providing reassurance. The boy faces attempted murder charges.

What Broader Concerns Arise from Social Media Incitement?

Reports from outlets like The Telegraph highlight how platforms such as TikTok fuel such calls, with a similar post dividing Hackney schools and urging weapons. This incident underscores ongoing debates about online radicalisation among youth, where viral challenges escalate to real-world violence.

Community leaders and educators warn of a pattern, linking it to rising knife crime statistics in London secondary schools. Authorities are urged to enhance monitoring of youth-oriented social media groups.

How Can Parents and Schools Prevent Escalation?

Parents are advised to discuss social media risks with children, monitor online activity, and report suspicious posts immediately. Schools should bolster safeguarding measures, including potential use of knife-detection wands available via the Mayor’s office, as per Sadiq Khan’s initiatives.

Collaboration remains key, with police, councils, and trusts working in tandem to foster safe environments. Early intervention could prevent the “Hackney War” from materialising into irreversible harm.