Opinion | Editorials
Countering the UK's knife culture
London police see threat of teenage attacks as second only to the terror threat
- Gulf News
- Published: 23:48 May 30, 2008
London is in the grip of a stabbing epidemic, especially among the young, according to the Metropolitan police. They consider the threat of teenage knife attacks as second only to terror in the danger it poses to the British capital. Action is being taken on the ground with a stop and search policy and an advertising campaign showing the graphic reality of knife injuries. Statistics make for grim reading with 14 teenagers killed so far this year, a figure sickeningly similar to last year's toll which claimed the lives of 27 young people.
There is no instant solution but there are steps that can be taken, especially in schools where educating young people on the dangers of knives must be made a priority. Of course parents are ultimately to blame for the behaviour of their children and making them criminally liable might ensure stricter discipline at home. A greater police presence on the streets would also be of major benefit but measures such as these must be backed up by legislation curtailing the sale of pocket knives. In some attacks kitchen knives have been used but the knife culture is spreading because of the relatively easy availability and "glamour" attached to certain types of knives.
More from Editorials
More from Opinions
Opinion Editor's choice
-
Egyptians must reject foreign meddling
By Tariq Ramadan, Special to Gulf News
Presidential election may turn out to be less a new chapter in a democratic future than an old chapter complete with a stage-managed outcome
-
Moderates may gift Egypt to Islamists
By Linda S. Heard, Special to Gulf News
Liberals cannot afford to sit at home or in cafes watching queues lengthen outside polling stations. They must quit complaining and vote with their feet
-
Is Al Maliki serious about democracy and more words?
By Mohammad Akef Jamal, Special to Gulf News
He is pushing towards a military showdown with the Kurds at a time when they are stronger than ever before
Your turn
