Liverpool City Council has started blasting classical music from speakers throughout the Whitechapel district to tackle youth disorder in the city centre.
Both Merseyside Police and the council are behind the initiative, which sees orchestral arrangements broadcast in public spaces.
The two organisations described the approach as “an effective tool” for breaking up gatherings of young people and “preventing anti-social behaviour”.
The tactic has emerged as the city, renowned globally for its musical heritage, grapples with rising concerns about disorder in the centre.
Classically trained musicians in Liverpool have reacted with fury to the strategy, accusing authorities of turning their art form into a weapon against young people.
Laura 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.”
The 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.”
Critics 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.
Liverpool City Council has started blasting classical music from speakers throughout the Whitechapel district to tackle youth disorder in the city centre
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Local traders have expressed weariness at hearing the same handful of pieces played repeatedly, with some unaware of the music’s true purpose.
Ian 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.”
The 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.
Concerns have also been raised about the impact on people sleeping rough in the city centre.
Concerns have also been raised about the impact on people sleeping rough in the city centre
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Michelle 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.”
One local business owner reported hearing the music as early as 05:30.
Langan added that nobody had informed her organisation about the purpose of the broadcasts, leaving them uncertain about its intentions.
Liverpool City Council has confirmed the music was not intended to drive out rough sleepers.
Classically trained musicians in Liverpool have reacted with fury to the strategy
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A 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.”
Merseyside 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.
“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.
“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.”