A teenage girl’s arrest outside a UK McDonald’s has launched a fierce online debate over youth policies and police conduct, after a short clip of the incident went viral with more than 3 million views overnight.
The viral post, shared Sunday (August 10), claimed the 13-year-old was detained “due to a policy stating school kids are not allowed in after 5pm” and that “McDonald’s called the police after an argument escalated.”
In the video, three officers can be seen confronting the girl as she stands next to what appears to be a classmate, with a McDonald’s worker nearby. The 13-year-old is then forcefully removed from the scene, kicking and screaming in dramatic fashion.
“That’s insane. Meanwhile criminals go free,” one user wrote.
Local viewers, however, noticed something was off.
From the origin of the “5 pm rule,” to the fact that her classmate wasn’t removed from the scene, many suspected the incident had less to do with McDonald’s, and more to do with the teenager’s behavior.
Footage of a 13-year-old being forcefully removed from a McDonald’s went viral, with netizens criticizing the officers
Image credits: NoCapMediaa
“Really we’re arresting young girls and we can’t even arrest real criminals!?” a viewer wrote, echoing the sentiments of thousands as the clip made its way to all social media channels.
“They are being so ab*sive towards the teenager,” another added. “There are far more important crimes the police should be worried about.”
Image credits: NoCapMediaa
Similar comments argued the police would’ve looked away if she was being harassed, pointing to the existence of a “two-tier system” in the country when dealing with different individuals.
“I wish they were this effective when it comes to capturing actual delinquents,” a user wrote.
Image credits: NoCapMediaa
Beyond the officers’ behavior, many viewers, especially those from outside the UK, were taken aback by the alleged reason for the teenager’s removal: the 5 pm rule.
Some called it “ridiculous” and “embarrassing,” questioning why a global fast-food chain would take such a hardline stance over something as harmless as a teenager sitting in a restaurant.
Turns out McDonalds’ had a very good reason for putting the measure in place.
The ban was put in place in 2022 due to a rise in anti-social behavior towards employees and customers
Image credits: NoCapMediaa
The policy was first put in place in August 2022, when a McDonald’s in Liverpool introduced a ban on students under 18 eating inside after 5 pm unless accompanied by an adult.
A spokesperson for McDonald’s UK explained at the time that the measure was implemented after staff at the 24-hour location had been subjected to “verbal and physical abuse” from groups of minors.
“Over recent weeks, we have seen an increase in the number of incidents of anti-social behavior in the area with our people being subjected to verbal and physical abuse,” the spokesperson said.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to crime and anti-social behavior.”
The decision, they added, “was not taken lightly” and was made in coordination with local police.
More importantly, the spokesperson went on to share a key detail that would prove essential in uncovering the truth behind the 13-year-old’s arrest:
The rule was explicitly described as temporary and applied only to that specific McDonald’s restaurant in Liverpool.
Image credits: Daniel Way/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
This, coupled with the fact that the 13-year-old’s classmate was not detained by police, and the fact that she was clearly seen carrying items from the restaurant, led many viewers to suspect that the teenager’s removal had nothing to do with the supposed rule at all.
The teenager was arrested in June, and a fact-check revealed her removal had nothing to do with the alleged rule
Image credits: U. J. Alexander/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)
Their suspicions turned out to be true as a fact-check by UK netizens revealed the viral clip was not from this month at all, but from June 9, 2025.
Local reports describe officers on foot patrol entering the Liscard Way McDonald’s in Wirral after seeing a group of youths run out. Inside, they identified the 13-year-old, who had previously been barred from the restaurant and had allegedly been “seen swearing at staff.”
Her attitude only worsened once she was asked to leave, throwing insults and expletives toward employees. At one point, during an attempt to escort her out, one officer was reportedly scratched on the face and kicked in the groin.
Police aid was immediately requested, and the events depicted in the viral clip ensued.
Following her arrest, the teenager was released to her parents and was ordered to attend a police interview at an undisclosed date.
Image credits: Joiarib Morales Uc/Unsplash (Not the actual photo)
The viral post, shared by an X account that claims to post “what the news won’t show,” was in reality classic outrage bait.
Its framing was carefully designed to provoke anger, portraying the student as an innocent victim and the police as needlessly aggressive.
Key context was omitted, and a misleading claim was inserted that her arrest stemmed from the so-called “5 pm rule.” Regardless, the damage was already done.
“This makes no sense.” It didn’t take long for netizens to notice inconsistencies in the alleged story
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