Hackney Gang Wars Resurface After Tragic Murder

This is clearly a major concern in the area. Let's see what the parliamentary candidates have to say. Are they willing to engage with DalstonPeople on this subject?

@Dan2011: Perhaps I didn't make it clear enough that I don't deny the existence of widespread gang-related violence in the borough. You've clearly misinterpreted and exaggerated the point I was making. I agree with you that gun-related crime for example is on the rise. I totally agree that Hackney has one of the highest rates of violent crimes in London. It's undeniable that it is too high and the sense of disenfranchisement that young people living on estates in Hackney is only being made worse by the 'gentrification' policy imposed by Jules Pipe and his largely New Labour council. Gang culture is a natural sequela of this IMHO.

However I reject your claims of myopia. I both live and work in the area, and my work exposes me to aspects of violent crime in the borough. I've also read the police crime figures for the borough, and while Hackney still scores above most of London, there are downward trends eg., 12 murders between March 08-Feb 09, and 6 between March 09-Feb 10 (unless of course you know of loads of murders that both "gone unreported on the likes of Sky News and so on" and also been missed by the police...). I have no idea where you have got "Noticeably, there have been many murders in recent months..." from - thin air most likely.

While all is not fine and dandy yet, it's important not to lose one's perspective, which was my original point. In fact, contrary to what you claim about the mainstream media, it's in their own commercial interest, and has been their modus operandi for at least 20 years (especially Sky News!), to hype-up negative stories and artificially cultivate a climate of fear, rather than sweep things under the carpet. Fear sells.

I'm not embarrassed about Hackney in any way except about the people that run it. I'm certainly have no vested interest in the Olympics or in concealing anything about the place before 2012. However I'd like to think that rather than being blase, I have a sensible perspective on the problems Hackney faces, as opposed to buying the tabloid media line, hitching up my skirts and running around proclaiming the end of world, which is what you have appeared to have done.

There is an appalling lack of investment in regular positive activities for young people in Hackney. Despite the heavy marketing, Hackney's inability to form partnerships with community groups to support those who are trying  to provide something for young people to do has resulted in an explosion of gang activity.

Top down vanity projects like the Ocean and now the "hub and spoke" (Otherwise know as "Hype and Smoke") model do nothing to resource the bottom up organisations that are working at the sharp end.

The gang activity won't stop until the authorities realise that young people need something else to do and that there are people in the community who can provide that, whether it be youth clubs, faith groups or the more traditional youth organisations.

There is a problem here in Hackney, and the attempts by the last contributor to undermine the escalating tensions between rival teenage gangs is symptomatic of the myopia and a distinct lack of awareness that many of Hackney's residents share. There are plenty of gangs operating within the borough, many of whom have access to firearms, many of whom have no problem with taking another persons life. Hardly artificial, many kids I know genuinely live in fear of being robbed, stabbed or even shot dead.

Problematically, crime in the borough is often overlooked by the main stream media. Noticeably, there have been many murders in recent months that have gone unreported on the likes of Sky News and so on. I can't help but think that there is a vested interest in sweeping Hackney's violence under the carpet in an attempt not to tarnish the 2012 Olympic games' image. Indeed, we can't have the world knowing how violence ridden Hackney's streets actually are, it may scare away some spectators. Of course, this is an unsubstantiated claim, but I wouldn't at all be surprised about a cover up.

In stark contrast to that of the last contributor's, blase, let's turn a blind eye, Hackney is no different to anywhere else attitude, I feel that we need a renewed collective focus on the fact we have a significant problem with gangs here. These kids have no problem killing eachother, I know what it's like, believe me. Look, gun crime is up by 25%, violence against the person is on the rise. Tension between these youngsters are at an all time high. How many more murders do we need before we as community begin to get our act together rather than simply sweeping our problems under the carpet

"Fears over knife related crime has escalated in Hackney over recent years, highlighted in this Guardian article."

Er, I've read the Guardian link and it doesn't mention anything about fears escalating in Hackney per se. Half of the article is about the Victoria station murder, and in fact it says: "But knife attacks in London have fallen from a peak of 30 in 2008."

I think it's important to retain a sense of perspective when reporting news, especially the emotive subject of the murder of children. Yes, teenage gang killings are terrible and senseless, and yes, Hackney has its dodgy areas (like everywhere else). But while artificially inflated fear sells more copies of the Daily Mail in Buckinghamshire and Kent, it doesn't help in Hackney and only demonises and alienates young (black) people even further.