Police made several arrests at Brixton tube station last Tuesday afternoon as part of a planned operation called ‘Brixton Unite’.
The day of action involved British Transport Police, Trident Gang Command, the Tactical Support Group (TSG) and local officers.
Stalls were also set up in Windrush Square, handing out information encouraging young people into training and work.
The original event, organised with Lambeth Council, was planned to include a number of UK Border Agency patrols, evictions, dawn raids and knife arches but was heavily criticised by activist Lee Jasper and was scrapped the day before.
Jasper hit out at the ‘Swamp 1981’ style operation claiming that neither the police nor council had consulted with the community about their plans.
He told Brixton blog:“This is of extreme concern, particularly in light of the recent Mark Duggan and Sean Rigg inquest verdicts – relations with the police are very sensitive at the moment.”
Brixton blog was present as officers brought out arrested suspects in handcuffs.
A passer-by named Maliki said: I think it’s overwhelming and scary for the children, it should be more discrete. It’s just too much, it just gives Brixton a bad name.”
Others have also criticised the event, which was filmed for a BBC documentary, as being a publicity stunt aimed to impress rather than bring substantial change.
Commenting on Brixton Blog, Andrew Watson said; “The money spent on this type of PR event would be much better spent providing community policing with increased foot patrols.”
Cllr Jack Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Safer and Stronger Neighbourhoods, defended the operation, stating they are “working with the community to make sure the gang problems don’t return”.
“The recent fatalities show how urgent this work is”, he said.
The main body of the operation was cancelled last minute due to pressure from Lee Jasper and the Community Police Consultative Group as the controversial plans were likened to those of the Operation Swamp tactics in 1981 which caused wide scale riots.
Jasper said: “The whole operation has now been down scaled and replaced by a small scale crime awareness event and some parking and ticket tout activity.
“Many thanks to those who supported the efforts to prevent this happening.”
Despite concerns, Detective Chief Inspector Claire Crawley, reinforced the need for action stating: “Brixton Unite demonstrates Lambeth’s communities coming together to support the fight against gang crime and should send a message to those involved in gangs that there is a way out.”
