We are not even halfway into 2018 and yet 50 people have died on London’s streets. For families who have lost loved ones, this is another incident; another number added to the list. The knife and gun crime epidemic has got out of control. Mayor Sadiq Khan needs to take action and ensure Londoners are safe.
Knife and gun crime has been a problem in London since the 1960s. My former headmaster Philip Lawrence died after trying to help a pupil outside St George’s school in Maida Vale. That happened over twenty years ago. He was a victim of knife crime, stabbed to death by a 16-year-old.
Young people have been carrying knives for decades, but what has allowed things to spiral out of control? It’s easy to blame the government and claim it’s down to funding, but the problem is much deeper than that. It boils down to class – and there is a certainly a class divide in London. Affluent, middle-class Londoners are much safer and will not have to experience what it’s like to live on a council estate or have three jobs to ensure their kids are well looked after.
Working-class or breadline kids often miss out on the support and facilities that middle-class families will be able to give their children. I witnessed this growing up on a Gospel Oak council estate. Across the road from my block were million-pound houses yet the main playground in my estate was in need of tarmacing. Luckily we had a youth club. This area of London has sadly become notorious for being rife with violence. Two people were recently killed there.
Unfortunately, violence has become the norm for a young generation obsessed with rap, grime, video games and social media. But while it’s easy to blame these factors, we have to be real and accept the facts. Grime artists are merely reflecting what is going on in their world and in young people’s lives on the roads, on the streets and in their neighbourhood. It’s a daily hustle.
Does it boil down to prejudice and lack of understanding towards certain communities? Yes it does. Lack of diversity, limited opportunities within certain sectors of society and institutionalised racism has led us to this critical point. In particular, young black boys are often marginalised at school. I struggled at primary school trying to fit in. As the only black boy in my class, I was regularly singled out by my headteacher. The education system is partly responsible for making young black men feel out of touch and not part of the system. This has not been fully addressed. Young black men should not feel disenfranchised from society; they should feel able to compete and be on the same level as their white counterparts.
The Home Office recently launched a video to tackle the epidemic. There have been mixed views on whether it will have any significant effect on changing things. Many critics felt the funding could have been used elsewhere to tackle the problem. I believe we need to go further than that. London’s communities, in particular the black communities, must come together and think of ways to keep their kids off the streets. First and foremost, there must be a curfew in place. Parents must know where their kids are at all times and if their son or daughter is wandering the streets after 10pm, their responsibility as a parent should be questioned. Organisations focussed on this issue also need support. Save Our Boys Save Our Girls was recently set up by singer and songwriter Gemma Fox in Kentish Town. They are keen to ensure funding is placed within the Camden area for workshops and training initiatives.
But what about role models, musicians and other organisations which campaign for equal rights and diversity? Surely they have the power to influence the fans who idolise them and might be connected to gangs? The lack of representation from Black Lives Matter also raises the question as to whether young black deaths in London is of significant importance to their cause. They have previously campaigned to highlight black injustices yet have not commented on the Tottenham shooting and other incidents. This is their moment to come forward and reassure the community.
Mayor Sadiq Khan should have taken action by now. While he may have done a lot of good things to ensure London’s nightlife and night-culture is preserved, it’s time for him to act and ensure every Londoner, not just a select few, are protected. There’s no point in saying London is Open if the youth are killing each other.
Edward Adoo is a DJ, broadcaster and writer based in London.
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