North Wales police say the dispersal order, which came into effect in Bangor town centre yesterday, will prevent under-16s who drink, or cause a nuisance, from gathering in the town centre.
But Towler said imposing a “blanket ban” on all children and young people is a “heavy-handed and ineffective way of combating antisocial behaviour”.
“It demonises under-16s, isolates them from their communities, alienates them from police and spreads the misconception that all young people are troublemakers,” he said.
“I fail to see why such a drastic measure is necessary. Police already have the power to take action against those that are engaging in criminal behaviour in a public place.
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