A 13-year-old says he is rallying against discrimination after starting a petition to protect a Camden Town punk.

Sid Evans started a petition after Anderson Garcia Rodrigues, 32, known as Zombiepunk, was temporarily forced out of the area on a dispersal order.

The teenager from Blackburn, who met Zombiepunk on a trip to Camden Town, told the Ham&High: “The Camden punks are some of the nicest people I know.

“Zombiepunk especially is polite and very friendly. Everyone knows him in Camden, and no one’s got an issue with him. He’s the main reason quite a few people go to Camden.

“There’s always been discrimination towards punks so I’m quite glad the petition has so many signatures.

“I hoped enough people would sign it so it would make a big statement and we can make sure this sort of thing never happens again. Camden doesn’t need cleaning up, it’s great as it is.”

The petition received more than 1,000 signatures in just over a week.

Zombiepunk said he was grateful for the support. “Staying on the bridge is all part of a big protest because I want punks to survive in Camden Town – this is the place of punks.

“Despite how I look, everyone can tell I’m a good guy. It’s nice because it means I break the taboo,” Zombiepunk said.

“I was told the dispersal order happened because I’m noisy, but Camden Town is always noisy.

“I don’t do anything wrong, I just want to make Camden Town better. That’s the most important thing to me.

“Thank you so much to everyone who’s been supporting me. I really appreciate it.”

Sid’s father, Robin, 57, told the Ham&High he felt proud of his son for making a difference. “If Sid sees something that’s wrong, he’s going to stand up against it,” he said.

“He’s used his initiative to speak out – that’s a good trait to have.”

The Metropolitan Police previously said: “A dispersal order was issued for the Camden Town and Primrose Hill areas on Friday 15 October.

“It allowed police to direct a person committing or likely to commit antisocial behaviour to leave an area for 48 hours.

“The order was authorised following a recent rise in reports of rowdy behaviour street drinking and noise complaints.”

To sign the petition visit https://www.change.org/p/camden-town-help-zombiepunk

Zombiepunk can be found on Instagram @zombiepunk4