Four young people have been charged with offences including assaulting police officers after the mass brawl on Hampstead Heath on Tuesday evening.

Ham & High: Around 30 Met officers tackled the fight. Picture: Kenza BryanAround 30 Met officers tackled the fight. Picture: Kenza Bryan (Image: Kenza Bryan)

Three females and one male were arrested and charged with assaulting police officers and common assault, while a fifth man was released “under investigation”.

In a statement, Sgt John Hounsell who leads the local ward policing for Hampstead and Highgate said “five police officers were assaulted”.

Sgt Hounsell said that “increasingly hostile” behaviour by some of the group saw the officers call for back-up.

He said though the officers’ initial concerns had been adherence to social distancing rules, but fights soon broke out among the crowd, and officers were also allegedly attacked.

The officer urged young people to continue to observe social distancing and not gather in groups of more than six people, and said: “Antisocial and violent behaviour will not be tolerated.”