Tower Hamlets ‘Green vs Black’ School Wars Escalate 2026

Key Points

• A dangerous social media trend encouraging school pupil clashes has spread from “Red vs Blue” fights across London boroughs to a “Green vs Black” version in Tower Hamlets.
• The trend originated on TikTok as “Croydon War,” targeting Years 9 to 11 pupils with calls for organised meet-ups armed with scissors, compasses, and rulers.
• In Tower Hamlets, posts circulate via TikTok account @kk.ondat under “Tower hamlets.war,” promoting “Clash” gatherings where pupils wear green or black bandanas and carry compasses.
• Affected Tower Hamlets secondary schools include Langdon Park, Canary Wharf College, Wapping High School, and George Green School.
• Other boroughs impacted: Croydon, Redbridge, Greenwich, Hackney, Camden, and Ealing, where schools have issued warnings, deployed extra staff, increased police presence, and offered safe spaces at youth centres and community hubs.
• Metropolitan Police launched Operation (name not specified in reports) advising pupils not to participate, not to forward posts, and to go straight home after school.
• Parents urged to monitor children’s whereabouts, discuss dangers, and report info via 101 or online; call 999 in emergencies.
• Police to maintain visible presence around schools on publicised dates and respond firmly to violence or disorder.
• Authorities, councils, and neighbourhood safety chairs coordinating responses; youth centres providing safe alternatives.
• Met Police spokesperson: Aware of posts, in contact with schools, officers visible at schools, firm response to violence.
• Commander Neerav Patel in Ealing: Monitoring online spaces, worked with platforms to disable a dozen accounts; warns of serious consequences like arrest, charges, imprisonment impacting future opportunities.

Tower Hamlets (East London Times) February 26, 2026 – A perilous social media trend fuelling fights between school pupils has escalated, spreading from initial “Red vs Blue” clashes across London boroughs to a menacing “Green vs Black” variant now targeting Tower Hamlets secondary schools.

What Triggered the ‘School Wars’ Trend in London?

The phenomenon began on TikTok with posts titled “Croydon War,” aimed at pupils in Years 9 to 11.

These videos urged students to organise meet-ups while carrying potentially dangerous items such as scissors, compasses, and rulers, as widely reported in initial coverage of the Croydon outbreaks.

As the trend proliferated, it evolved into colour-coded rivalries. In Tower Hamlets, it has morphed into “Green vs Black,” disseminated through the TikTok account @kk.ondat, operating under the username “Tower hamlets.war.” Posters associated with these posts encourage pupils to “clash” while donning a pair of compasses and a black or green bandana.

The game, explicitly named “Clash,” promotes gatherings where participants arm themselves with compasses, heightening fears of injury amid the borough’s dense urban environment.

Which Schools in Tower Hamlets Are Affected?

Secondary schools in Tower Hamlets bearing the brunt include Langdon Park, Canary Wharf College, Wapping High School, and George Green’s School.

These institutions have been directly referenced in the viral posts, prompting immediate vigilance from school leaders and local authorities.

Reports indicate that pupils from these schools are being specifically targeted, with social media calls to converge at designated spots post-school hours.

How Has the Trend Spread Across Other London Boroughs?

The “school wars” have not confined themselves to Tower Hamlets or Croydon. Boroughs such as Redbridge, Greenwich, Hackney, Camden, and Ealing have also witnessed similar disturbances.

Schools in these areas have responded decisively: issuing stark warnings to pupils and parents, arranging additional staff for supervision, bolstering police presence at gates, and establishing safe havens at youth centres and community hubs.

In Ealing, for instance, the escalation drew direct intervention from senior officers, underscoring the trend’s rapid contagion via platforms like TikTok.

What Measures Are Police Taking Against the Clashes?

The Metropolitan Police have launched a dedicated Operation—details of its precise name remain undisclosed in public statements—to combat the threat. Officers advise pupils firmly: do not participate in the meet-ups, refrain from forwarding inflammatory posts, and return straight home after school.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated:

“We’re aware of social media posts circulating, and we are in close contact with schools across various London boroughs to offer reassurance. Officers will be visible around the schools named at the start and end of the day, and we will respond firmly to any reports of violence or disorder.”

Commander Neerav Patel, speaking on behalf of Ealing’s policing efforts, elaborated:

“We continue to monitor online spaces and have worked with platforms to request a dozen social media accounts to be disabled where threats or violence were planned or encouraged. I would like to remind young people of the serious consequences of getting involved in matters like this. An arrest, charge, or conviction for violence and carrying weapons could mean imprisonment with a significant long-term impact on future opportunities.”

Police have committed to a visible presence around targeted schools on dates publicised in the posts, promising robust action against any violence or disorder.

In emergencies, the public is directed to dial 999, while non-urgent tips can be shared via 101 or online reporting portals.

What Advice Is Given to Worried Parents?

Parents across London are being implored to stay proactive. Authorities urge them to verify their children’s whereabouts after school, engage in candid discussions about the perils of involvement, and report any pertinent information to police via 101 or online forms.

This parental vigilance is seen as crucial to disrupting the trend’s momentum, particularly given the ease with which posts spread among impressionable teens.

How Are Councils and Community Hubs Responding?

Local councils, neighbourhood safety chairs, and community representatives are collaborating on a multi-faceted response. Youth centres and hubs are gearing up to offer safe, engaging alternatives—such as supervised activities and drop-in sessions—to divert young people from the online lures.

This coordinated effort aims to address not just immediate risks but underlying factors like social media influence and peer pressure in London’s diverse boroughs.

What Are the Broader Risks of the ‘Clash’ Game?

Beyond physical harm from makeshift weapons like compasses, the trend poses lasting repercussions. As Commander Patel warned, involvement could lead to arrests, criminal charges, and convictions for violence or weapon possession, potentially resulting in imprisonment.

Such records carry profound, long-term consequences, jeopardising educational prospects, employment opportunities, and personal futures for those embroiled.

The shift from “Croydon War” to “Green vs Black” illustrates the trend’s adaptability, exploiting school rivalries and colour affiliations to sustain momentum.

Why Is TikTok Under Scrutiny in This Crisis?

TikTok emerges as the primary vector, with accounts like @kk.ondat in Tower Hamlets and others in affected boroughs pumping out provocative content. Police collaboration with platforms has already yielded the disabling of a dozen accounts where violence was explicitly planned or incited.

This highlights ongoing challenges in moderating youth-oriented content that glorifies conflict.

How Can the Community Help Prevent Further Escalation?

Communities are encouraged to foster dialogue, with schools, parents, and youth services uniting against the digital menace. Reporting suspicious posts directly to platforms, alongside police notifications, forms a key defence.

By amplifying safe spaces and positive activities, Tower Hamlets and neighbouring boroughs seek to reclaim public areas from would-be combatants.

The expansion to Tower Hamlets marks a grim chapter in this saga, yet unified action from police, schools, councils, and families offers hope for containment. As the Metropolitan Police maintain their proactive stance, the focus remains on safeguarding vulnerable pupils from this viral peril.