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  "path": "/news/liverpool-news-council-city-centre-classical-music-over",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-20T08:21:03.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "'Stonehenge of the Carbon Age' to be demolished in months as critics mourn UK's industrial decline",
    "Traveller who tarmacked over a field is allowed to live there as moving breaches his human rights",
    "Community church saved from ruin after £10k donation means crucial repairs can be made",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nLiverpool City Council has started blasting classical music from speakers throughout the Whitechapel district to tackle youth disorder in the city centre.\n\nBoth Merseyside Police and the council are behind the initiative, which sees orchestral arrangements broadcast in public spaces.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe two organisations described the approach as \"an effective tool\" for breaking up gatherings of young people and \"preventing anti-social behaviour\".\n\nThe tactic has emerged as the city, renowned globally for its musical heritage, grapples with rising concerns about disorder in the centre.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nClassically trained musicians in Liverpool have reacted with fury to the strategy, accusing authorities of turning their art form into a weapon against young people.\n\nLaura Macmillan, a conservatoire-trained violinist who performs with the band Ian Prowse and Amsterdam, said: \"It makes me feel really angry as a classical musician who, as someone from a working class background, was made to feel that I wasn't good enough to play that kind of music.\"\n\nThe 36-year-old added: \"There's always been this stereotype that classical music is for people who have lots of money and is too complicated for some people, and to weaponise it like this is appalling.\"\n\nCritics have highlighted the contradiction with Liverpool City Council's funding of the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, which operates outreach programmes designed to improve children's life chances through orchestral music.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nLocal traders have expressed weariness at hearing the same handful of pieces played repeatedly, with some unaware of the music's true purpose.\n\nIan Silverberg, 67, who operates Silverberg Opticians in Whitechapel, told the BBC: \"I thought it was for big events like the Grand National, to impress upon people visiting that we are a city of music. To find out otherwise is a bit disappointing.\"\n\nThe initiative comes amid broader efforts by the council and Merseyside Police to establish a large Public Space Protection Order covering much of the city centre in response to increased antisocial behaviour and violence involving young people.\n\nConcerns have also been raised about the impact on people sleeping rough in the city centre.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * 'Stonehenge of the Carbon Age' to be demolished in months as critics mourn UK's industrial decline\n  * Traveller who tarmacked over a field is allowed to live there as moving breaches his human rights\n  * Community church saved from ruin after £10k donation means crucial repairs can be made\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMichelle Langan, who runs the Paper Cup Project cafe for homeless people, said: \"Some of our customers have come in saying they were concerned that it was being played very early in the morning and they were worried it was being done to disturb rough sleepers.\"\n\nOne local business owner reported hearing the music as early as 05:30.\n\nLangan added that nobody had informed her organisation about the purpose of the broadcasts, leaving them uncertain about its intentions.\n\nLiverpool City Council has confirmed the music was not intended to drive out rough sleepers.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nA spokesman told the BBC: \"The speakers are used on occasion as a tactic to disperse people from an area when there is anti-social behaviour and have proved successful at doing so. We are reviewing the time and frequency of their use in the light of recent feedback we have received.\"\n\nMerseyside Police Liverpool City Centre Neighbourhood Inspector Jack Woodward added: \"We will use all possible measures to reduce anti-social behaviour and youth-related violence because we're determined to make our city centre safe for visitors and residents.\n\n\"In partnership with Liverpool City Council, one tactic we can use involves playing music from speakers which are located in hotspot areas. This has proven to be an effective tool in dispersing large gatherings of youths, helping to prevent anti-social behaviour and criminality taking place in the area; whilst supporting our city centre community.\n\n\"We will not tolerate such behaviour and we take every report seriously. Please get in touch if you witness or have any information about an incident and we will investigate.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter**",
  "title": "Council drives away yobs from city centre by blasting 'weaponised' classical music over speakers"
}