Neatly folded garments representing the 247 individuals killed via knife crime final 12 months had been laid exterior Parliament as MPs returned to work.
Actor and musician Idris Elba, who has launched the Don’t Stop Your Future marketing campaign calling for the quick banning of machetes and so-called zombie knives with the Mirror, stood amongst the clothes. The Luther star, 51, mentioned police powers like stop-and-search weren’t eradicating knife crime as he warned the problem goes “deeper” than that.
“There are hard facts that stop and search may do some help, but it’s not eradicating the issue,” he said. “We have to assume slightly deeper than that. It’s not nearly cease and search… Some children are carrying these knives as a result of they’re scared and a few are carrying knives as a result of it makes them really feel extra protected. Stop and search will do some work, however we have to type of pull the onion again slightly additional and work out what are the roots of those points?”
Idris can be lobbying for extra funding in youth providers and releasing a track, Knives Down, in an effort to deal with critical youth violence throughout the UK. The Don’t Stop Your Future marketing campaign has produced a collection of billboards highlighting the chance throughout the nation, together with in London, Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield.
Speaking in regards to the marketing campaign, Idris mentioned: “I can’t stay silent as more young lives are lost to these brutal and heartless crimes. As school returns, too many young people will not be joining their classmates and too many grieving families have lost a young person they love in recent years. Young people are our future, their potential deserves to be met, not taken away by violence.”
Among these on the marketing campaign’s launch was Yemi Hughes, who held garments her son Andre Aderemi, 19, was carrying when he was stabbed to loss of life in Croydon in 2016.
Downing Street conceded “there is more to do” on tackling knife crime in response to Elba’s marketing campaign. Rishi Sunak’s spokesman mentioned: “It’s important the public understand that knife crime is down 7%, hospital admissions for stabbings are down by nearly a quarter. But, still, we know knife crime devastates lives. We do want to do more. It’s welcome that Idris Elba and others continue to shine a light on this important issue.”
In August 2023, the Home Office introduced harder measures on machetes and zombie-style knives can be launched. But progress on passing the brand new laws via Parliament has been gradual and a number of other high-profile incidents have occurred since, together with the killing of schoolgirl Elianne Andam. The 15-year-old was stabbed to loss of life on her option to college in Croydon, south London, in September with what was believed to be a big zombie knife. A 17-year-old boy has been charged together with her homicide.