Queen Street was temporarily shut by police on the afternoon of Saturday 2 May after a busker was reportedly ‘attacked’ at around 2.45pm.
The busy shopping street outside Westgate was closed to allow police officers to park their vehicles, causing traffic to come to a standstill until about 4pm.
The incident occurred in Bonn Square and witnesses saw one man lying on the ground at the St Ebbe’s Street junction with Queen Street. Ambulance crews were also reportedly on the scene. Following the attack, numerous police cars were parked in Queen Street and police officers were seen speaking with shoppers and onlookers, and gathering statements from witnesses.
The Oxford Mail reported that a Deliveroo driver had said “someone approached a busker singing reggae songs in Bonn Square and tried to steal his takings before a row broke out”. The publication also added that “police officers at the scene declined to comment on the incident”.
Two men, aged 52 and 41, were reportedly arrested in connection with the incident. A video has circulated showing a white male being held down by a member of the public and by three police officers, as he resisted the arrest. The alleged assaulter being held down in the video was then carried by four police officers into a police van.
According to the Oxford Mail, Thames Valley Police have stated that the 52-year-old has received a caution following the assault. The 41-year-old was reportedly arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and theft, and released on conditional bail as enquiries continue. He has also allegedly been charged with five counts of assaulting a police officer and remanded in custody to appear at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
An officer in Bonn Square said that there was a section 34 dispersal order in place in the area for the following 48 hours, according to Oxford Mail. This order, under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, gives police officers and police community support officers the power to direct individuals who have engaged or are likely to engage in antisocial behaviour to leave a specified area and not return.