17/02/2018 London News

Now on BBC One it's time

for the news where you are.

Good evening, I'm Asad Ahmad.

For the first time police have been

given powers to charge,

fine or imprison people who hang

around a housing estate in east

London, even if they haven't

actually committed a crime.

The court order allows officers

to take action in order

to keep residents safe.

And it could be rolled

out across London.

Here's Sarah Harris.

Leaving his flat at Bentworth Court

in east London isn't an option

for pensioner Malcolm Bass.

Gangs congregating outside have

physically attacked him on four

separate occasions and stolen

from his twice.

Despite the injuries,

he's determined to play

down the violence.

There was a group

of them in the block.

I've asked them to leave.

One of them has knocked me down

and they started kicking me,

you know what I mean?

But it wasn't that bad,

so I've taken more than

a kicking in my life.

Now the police, working

with Tower Hamlets housing,

have secured new legislation

from the courts to arrest people

who loiter in the hallways here.

It means they can charge,

fine or imprison people

for just being here.

It's the first time these orders

have been used in the capital.

We carry out random daily patrols

on a number of occasions,

throughout the day, each day.

There are occasions

where in previous times

where we've seen people here,

we've had to eject them

from the premises.

This gives us that extra

tool to make sure they

don't come back again.

Malcolm hopes it means his elderly

neighbours can get out

of their flats again before

it's too late.

I buried a 97-year-old

lady in the last year,

she'd lived here since it was built.

Even then she was scared to come out

of the door at night

to talk to her neighbours,

which is wrong.

It's not fair.

It's hoped the new order will be

used in other residential

blocks across the capital.

Sarah Harris, BBC London News.

As well as showing off the latest

styles and drawing in billions

of pounds of investment,

London Fashion Week is also

attracting demonstrations

and protests on various issues.

The attention the catwalks get

is increasingly seen

as a chance to voice opinions.

Here's a snapshot of

some of the topics.

You should frack off!

Vivienne Westwood using the start

of London Fashion Week

to make her message heard

against fracking for gas

in Surrey and elsewhere.

Nearby protesters made their voice

heard too, at a topless demo

about the increasing use

of fur in fashion.

The topless protest people

might think is shocking,

but you know what is shocking?

The fact that people wear bits

of completely tortured,

brutalised animals and they think

this is normal.

There's also the issue of plus-sized

models arguing against the use

of size zero models on the catwalk.

Recycled plastic is also

a feature at Fashion Week,

with designers saying

they want to make a political

statement by using it.

And abuse in the industry

is also being talked about.

The London model Adwoa Aboah

says there is real fear

among both men and women,

but the fashion industry

says it's on the case.

We've created a model first

initiative and this is very much

in response to the Me Too campaign

that started at the end of last

year, that has built

on the incredible work we've done

already to make sure models

are looked after here in the UK.

London Fashion Week,

complete with protests,

is on until Tuesday.

Now the weather forecast

with Elizabeth.

Good evening, it almost felt like

spring at times today, lots of blue

sky and sunshine despite a cold and

frosty start. Another frost is

possible tomorrow morning and it

will feel a bit cloudy as well.

Overnight tonight the best of the

clear skies will be out towards the

east. This is where we'll see the

lowest temperatures tomorrow

morning. The mist on fog is possible

that will readily lift and clear.

Cloudy day than today, the best of

the brightness will be through the

morning. Top temperatures 10-11.

It's going to be a cloudy, damp but

mild start to the new working week.

Some outbreaks of light, patchy rain

and drizzle on Monday. It's going to

turn drier but colder with a chilly

easterly wind taking hold.

Just before we go, let me tell

you that Chinese New Year

celebrations are taking place

in central London.

This was what it looked like in

China Town in Soho a short time ago.

2018 is the Year of the Dog,

which means anyone born this year -

according to Chinese tradition -

will have the characteristics

of being communicative

and responsible at work.

I won't tell you what year I was

born in, it definitely wasn't the

year of the dog!

That's it for now.

Have a very good evening.