05/09/2026
Recently a member of our team was physically assaulted while carrying out their duties at The Oval. The assault was captured on a body-worn camera and reported to Kent Police. The person responsible has since admitted the assault to police and accepted responsibility for their actions. As part of the police outcome, they have agreed to attend an anger-management course and stay away from The Oval.
We will not identify the individuals concerned and do not wish to encourage speculation about their identities.
The Oval is publicly accessible private land, owned and managed by GRASS Cliftonville CIC. We are proud to keep the park open for the community to enjoy, but use of the site is subject to rules which exist to keep it clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone.
Our staff and volunteers are responsible for helping to enforce those rules and will speak to visitors where necessary. This includes challenging people who fail to clear up after their dogs, drop litter, cause damage, behave antisocially or fail to comply with other site rules.
Approaching someone about their conduct at The Oval is a normal and necessary part of managing a busy community park. Our staff and volunteers must be able to carry out these responsibilities without being subjected to abuse, intimidation, threats, or physical violence.
The recent incident was extremely upsetting, but we are grateful to Kent Police for their support and assistance in bringing the matter to a conclusion.
Everyone is welcome at The Oval, and the overwhelming majority of our visitors treat both the park and the people who look after it with respect.
We simply ask everyone to follow the site rules and allow our team to do their jobs safely.
GRASS Cliftonville CIC
