A circle of light hoped to bring safety to Union Terrace Gardens has been adopted as a makeshift kickboxing ring by brawling youths.
The Victorian park reopened after a £30 million revamp only three weeks ago.
A key driver of the multi-million-pound project was much-heralded safety improvements.
For decades, the pitch-black city centre gardens proved a looming, threatening pit after dark.
Now – despite the millions spent – concerns are still being raised for public safety as baying teens spar under the bright lights.
Watch The Press And Journal’s footage of the anti-social behaviour in UTG:
As the crowd screamed in encouragement, other visitors quickly made it up the grand staircase onto Rosemount Viaduct.
Police chiefs are facing pressure to increase patrols in response.
Police: New CCTV yet to be installed in UTG
Last summer, youth anti-social behaviour became one of the main complaints about Union Street. But now it appears the howling, aggressive youngsters have gone below street level and into UTG.
City centre police commander Chief Inspector David Paterson admits anti-social behaviour was “problematic” last summer.
And because of that, he told The P&J the reopening of the park on December 22 was “very much on our radar”.
Despite being on the force’s agenda, new CCTV cameras within the gardens are yet to be installed.
When they are, they will feed back directly to the divisional HQ at Marischal College.
For now, the chief inspector promised to “continue to monitor” UTG as part of “proactive city centre policing plans”.
There was a rush to open the gardens by Christmas after a previously abandoned “soft opening” in April.
UTG anti-social behaviour: Fight night beneath new safety lights
The Press And Journal has twice witnessed fighting in Union Terrace Gardens in the weeks since its long-awaited opening.
On Tuesday night, reporters saw a group of around 20 teens packed around two young boys.
The pair were seen swinging fists and high kicks at one another, under the main safety-bringing light feature.
A hanging halo of LED lighting has been suspended above the main lawn area of UTG – in the hope of bringing more people to the garden at all times of the day.
But within the bright band of light beneath it, the youths traded blows for their giddy audience.
Police were called about the melee on that occasion. But Ch Insp Paterson said his officers had had only “limited reports of youth annoyance and isolated incidents of violence” since the reopening.
He promised a “continued robust approach” to anti-social behaviour.
‘Incumbent’ on police to increase UTG presence
But the intimidating slugfest within the UTG amphitheatre left the community demanding more.
Rosemount and Midstocket councillor Emma Farquhar is calling for greater police presence in the newly developed gardens.
The Conservative said it is “incumbent” on officers to “ensure Union Terrace Gardens is safe”.
And former Grampian Police Board convener Martin Greig agreed The P&J’s reports are “worrying”.
The Liberal Democrat councillor told us: “This disruptive, unacceptable behaviour needs to be addressed as soon as possible to protect the reputation of Union Terrace Gardens.
“This open space should be welcoming and family-friendly so all can enjoy it.
“The police teams will be doing all they can to deal with anti-social and criminal activity.
“But patrolling the gardens will be an additional pressure on the local police teams and will stretch this finite resource.”
Anti-social behaviour an early trend within revamped UTG
Tuesday’s scrimmage is certainly not the first.
The P&J’s columnist David Knight raised concerns earlier this week about boys firing a “flurry of vicious kicks and punches” during his first night-time visit to the renewed UTG.
Towards the end of 2022, Ch Insp Paterson acknowledged the problems up above UTG, on Union Street.
Addressing business bosses’ concerns that the city’s main drag no longer felt safe, he said the Granite Mile had proved “fertile” ground for rowdy youths during the Covid pandemic.
“Thankfully,” he told us this week, “the vast majority of reported incidents are lower level and fall short of criminality.”
But even before the pandemic, warring youngsters forced the police to take drastic measures in Aberdeen city centre.
Over summer 2019, officers imposed a dispersal order. It allowed them to banish troublesome teen gang members for 24 hours at a time.
Today, we can reveal police chiefs considered making the same move again last summer – but did not have enough evidence of anti-social behaviour to meet strict legal requirements.
