Shocking video footage has emerged of a mass brawl in a Dundee park in scenes reminiscent of the city’s gang heyday.
The marauding youths claiming to be from the Whitty (Whitfield) Shams and the Douglas Toddy appeared in a video on popular social media platform YouTube this week.
Footage from the melee was uploaded on February 13 with a description claiming “Whitty shams doing thi toddy”.
It was unclear when the unsavoury scenes took place, however, it appears the incident happened at Drumgeith Park as the pavilion appears to be visible in the background.
The initial exchange involves two teenagers before more come into shot and a girl can be heard excitedly saying “there are fights everywhere I don’t know where to look”.
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A mass brawls plays out as girls appear to have become embroiled in the fracas as they can be witnessed falling to the ground.
Despite only generating a small number of views online the graphic brawl has left many locals stunned.
As the alarming incidents disperses one youngster can be heard saying “Shams rule”.
It didn’t appear anyone was injured before the rival factions begin to part across the playing fields at Drumgeith.
One man, who declined to be named, said it was shocking to see the incident unfold in a well-used park.
He added: “We are down at the park a lot. It definitely looks like Drumgeith Pavilion in the background.
“It is quite shocking to see what has happened here. It’s not just pushing and shoving you can clearly see punches being thrown between the rival groups.
“The park is quite popular with dog walkers I’m sure folk here at time must have been alarmed by what was unfolding.”
Police said they couldn’t comment on the incident as it was unclear whether anyone had reported the brawl or the exact time the incident had taken place.
Councillor Steven Rome, North East ward, said he had spoken with community police sergeant at Longhaugh Station in connection with the footage.
He added: “This is a shocking incident, made even more so by the fact that someone had thought it was a good idea to record and share this sickening behaviour.
“I have contacted the police to confirm whether they know about this and whether they will be looking to identify any of these individuals .
“I would urge anyone witnessing such appalling behaviour to report it to the police immediately for the safety of everyone involved.”
The Tele contacted Gary Robertson, author of Gangs of Dundee, about the incident that had taken place at an area known to many in historical gang culture as “no man’s land”.
He added: “I’m certainly surprised to hear this has taken place. That area was historically known as no man’s land and it was a common area for gangs to fight at given its location to the surrounding schemes.
“Historically the Douglas Toddy, Whitfield Shams and Mid would fight there.”
He added: “In this day and age it is surprising to hear this type of thing has happened.
“Gang culture resurfaces from time-to-time but hopefully it will never got back to what it was like in the ’60s and ’70s.
“If they had videoed it back then they would have been really shocked by what had went on.”
City’s gang heyday thought to be thing of the past
The unsavoury scenes that played out on smartphones in Drumgeith Park is a far cry away from the gang culture of the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.
Despite the emergence of the new housing estates after the Second World War, tribal warfare ran deep in the schemes.
The Douglas Toddy, Kirkton Huns, Mid, Lochee Fleet, Beechie Mob and the Fintry Shams were among those having running battles on the city’s streets.
Like the cult 1979 movie Hollywood movie The Warriors, gangs represented themselves in different colours during this decade.
The custom-made high V-neck jumpers were nicknamed “Steve Ellis” jumpers, after the singer in the ’60s pop group, The Love Affair.
Gang members would go into their local knitting shops and ask for jerseys to be made up in their respective colours.
The situation reached fever pitch with hundreds involved in fights in the city centre in
the ’70s.
It was even proposed that water canons should be turned on those involved in a bid to quell the violence.
Due to the time that’s passed, many people view the era with misty-eyed nostalgia.
However, others remember only too well the violence that plagued the city, which struck fear into people who found themselves in the wrong part of the city.
Many have suggested if they stepped into other schemes, a confrontation was inevitable.
Although the widespread gang culture of yesteryear seemed to have faded, similar fears had arisen of “gang warfare” as recently as September 2018.
Fears of ‘gang warfare’ in Dundee amid claims dozens of teens battled with sticks and poles in park
Police were called to an area in Finlathen Park after fighting broke out with two groups of youths.
It was described by witnesses that boys were seen with metal poles and knives.
Robert Booth, who lived locally in the area said at the time, “This is a return to the gang warfare of old when gangs from Fintry and Linlathen regularly clashed at the park”.
