A police investigation was underway after a man, 23, was stabbed near Peckham Park Road on 2nd December 2023. Emergency services were called to the scene of the crime at around 7.30 am following the reports of a stabbing. The man was rushed to hospital where his injuries were assessed and deemed as non-life-threatening.
Police officers put in place several cordons whilst they carry out the investigation. So far, no arrests have been made – the Metropolitan police have confirmed.
For Ben Lindsay, founder of ‘Power The Fight’, a Peckham based charity that focuses on tackling knife crime, “We’ve failed young people”. Lindsay who spent the last 4 years tirelessly campaigning against violence. “I’m now in the heart of the community of South-east London. And I’m seeing the trauma, pain, violence of what knife crime can bring.”
The latest attack happened merely weeks after the Lyndhurst Grove shooting where a man was shot in broad daylight on 7th November. Again, emergency services were called, and fortunately on this occasion the victim also suffered non-life-threatening injuries. However, as with the latest stabbing, enquiries are still ongoing but no arrests have been made.
According to website CrystalRoof, which provides statistics on crime drawn from official police data, the annual crime rate in Peckham is 222.2 per thousand population, double the average for London as a whole.
Similarly, According to ilivehere.co.uk, there were a total of 926 street level crime incidents in June 2023. The largest category was violent crime followed by anti-social behaviour. In October, the most recent month for which statistics are available, 125 crimes were committed, ranging from petty theft to gun violence.
Many in the local community fear for their safety. Naveed and Hamza, 17, students attending a local college both agreed that: “Its [Peckham] reputation was tarnished from the get-go.”
Mr. Avunuri, a security guard working at Pound-Land said that he’s “seen many incidents” and that often when working at night the area becomes an “unsafe place. “Some people look like they do some crazy activities. Some people are dangerous… it feels unsafe.”
A local resident living near Peckham Park Road , said the stabbing “spooked me… but, it is quite common around here, it’s almost routine.”
With crime rates skyrocketing, some local residents have started petitions and peaceful protests to demand greater safety for the local community.
Despite all the violence some residents still maintain a positive attitude and hope that solutions can be found that benefit everybody in the community. Some also believe that, while not downplaying the problem of street crime, the situation is not all bad.
Mr. Mansu, owner of a local shoe shop, doesn’t deny the severity of the recent crimes, but also said “During the day, not a lot of crime happens.”
Organizations like Power The Fight, have set out to help young people try to avoid becoming involved with or a victim of knife crime.
