Make tackling young hooligans a priority - Joanna Mowat

There have been reports of eggs being stolen and then thrown at passers by and businesses; of groups of youths entering shops to shout abuse at staff who are not much older than those doing the shouting.

Joanna Mowat is Conservative councillor for City Centre ward

Staff are scared, takings are down and we have to ask whether the police have sufficient powers to tackle the behaviour.

In Nottingham the council and the police worked together and introduced a fine for refusing to remove a face covering when asked by the authorities. After a month reports say that there are fewer face coverings being used and youth related anti-social behaviour is down. This sounds like a plan worth trying.

Balaclavas and e-bike use have come under the spotlight

Last year the Scottish Government approved in principle the removal of bus passes from anyone caught carrying out anti-social behaviour on the buses. This has yet to be put into practice, but it would seem worth extending it to those carrying a National Entitlement Card and gathering in public places who are harassing the public and retail workers.

We need to be clear this is unacceptable behaviour – people should not be scared to go to work and they are. Hoteliers should not be held at bay by marauding groups of youths and the groups of youths should be clear that their behaviour is unacceptable.

Passers by on Princes Street should not have to risk being egged or be in fear of groups of youths. The numbers engaged in this behaviour may be small but they are creating fear and alarm. The police need to be given the powers to stop this behaviour, which means there needs to be consequences for abusing workers.

Having to remove balaclavas or face coverings and removal of their free travel would be a start and would show that the public will not put up with this rampaging through the city and that there will be consequences for those that do.

And if this is works in Princes Street, then we can use the same measures in other areas of the city experiencing similar problems.