Forum Topic

Boys detained in Putney Station for carrying knives

Three boys (one white and two blacks) were detained in Putney Station today at about 5:30pm for carrying knives, one of them a machete...My son and a visiting friends witnessed this and are incredibly shocked and my son extremely angry too.It was a truly horrible experience!

Ivonne Holliday ● 798d31 Comments

"Zombie knife and machete surrender ahead of law change""A month-long surrender and compensation scheme is going live next week (Monday 26 August), ahead of a new law making it illegal to own certain styles of zombie knives and machetes.From Tuesday 24 September 2024, it will be illegal to own certain styles of zombie knives and machetes.Under the new measures, it will be illegal to possess, sell or manufacture or transport these zombie-style knives and machetes.Ahead of the law change, a month-long national surrender and compensation scheme has been introduced by the government, allowing legal owners of zombie-style knives and machetes to surrender them to the police and claim compensation if they wish.Police forces across England and Wales, including Merseyside Police, are participating in the scheme, which runs from 26 August until 23 September 2024.Anyone surrendering knives that meet the criteria will be eligible for compensation, under the government scheme. Detailed guidance on the kinds of weapons that will become illegal and eligible for surrender and compensation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/compensation-scheme-for-zombie-knives-and-machetes. "

David Ainsworth ● 798d

What a horrible experience for your son and his friends Ivonne! 🙁Nowhere is safe now.🙁The surrender scheme is a non-stater because nobody will make themselves a target for police surveillance in the future.  Whoever dreamt up this nonsense?🙄

Sue Hammond ● 798d

"Whoever dreamt up this nonsense?"Blame the government, I guess.But who would make such vile things and sell them?https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a27e4f0808eaf43b50d783/Annex_-_Example_of_weapons_that_qualify_for_the_Surrender_and_Compensation_scheme_.pdfMachetes were and are important agricultural tools, but these examples are not.

David Ainsworth ● 798d

Knife crime in this country is a real and present danger for all of us.  Khan needs to get a serious grip on this for London.

Robert Wheeler ● 798d

I’m really not sure why in this day and age people need to report on what they see and include their raceOne white, 2 black, one yellow four brown, 7 whiteThere were 3 men arrestedIt’s that simple

Emma Blackwell ● 798d

"There were 3 men arrested. It's that simple"They were described as boys not men. Carrying a knife does not make someone a man.Why not omit their perceived gender too?If we are to tackle crime we must be able to have an honest conversation without fear of slipping up.Both the far right and far left are failing our kids. The far right although small in numbers their harm has been well documented but the far left are much more numerous. You can't for example highlight how well girls are doing in certain racial economic groups where the boys are failing because that will go against the Left's narrative.Good to see some improvements in boys results this year (stats not yet published) but well done girls as always!https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/education-skills-and-training/11-to-16-years-old/gcse-results-attainment-8-for-children-aged-14-to-16-key-stage-4/latest/#by-ethnicity-and-gender

Ed Robinson ● 797d

What difference does it make if you say a colour of a person, you would not say the same if he was drowning. Also if the Police ask you the colour of their hair, that would be OK to say black brown red or blond, even green or pink or grey. If your little son went missing you would say what colour he was, you would want them found as soon as possible. If you went to a Police station, do you sit there worried about saying what colour they are, might be albino, or have a skin condition.

Barbara Stevens ● 797d

Emma,I posted this because it was a shocking event.  My son's friend took a photograph and the size of the knife seized by the police was truly frightening.  Both my son and his friend were very shacken by the experience.  Not because the police were there but because the boys were about 14 or 15 years old (not men as you say) carrying a truly lethal weapon.If my post offended you, I am sorry.  I am certainly not going to apoligize for posting it or for its contents.

Ivonne Holliday ● 797d

I have seen large metal bins for knife disposal in the streets.  I hope they are difficult to move S I've seen an electronics bin on its side.  Charity shops won't even take kitchen knives.  Then there are the ceremonial swords, and kukris we used to use as garden implements, sickles and scythes.  Too much stuff is too available online.  It isn't always the owner who disposes of or puts the knives in the bins.

Philippa Bond ● 797d

I posted this previously re the knife crime and other violence at the Notting Hill Carnival."Mr Rose'The reason that contributors to the Forum have sought to downplay the level of criminality is that the perpetrators (and the victims) were overwhelmingly likely to have beenblack'.And of course this is why 'stop and search' is implemented so circumspectly.From the Mayor's website.'Despite making up only 13% of London’s total population, black Londoners account for 45% of London’s knife murder victims, 61% of knife murder perpetrators and 53% of knife crime perpetrators.https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/assembly/commission-on-knife-crime-in-black-communityMight it be said that this is because many of the perpetrators have a cultural background where knives and their violent use are quite prevalent" ?Reference to the racial and cultural background of the knife crime perpetrators is crucial for two reasons.First it narrows down the number of people that the police need to look for prior to arrest.Second it concentrates the attention needed in order to implement preventative measures such as stop and search.Unfortunately a consequence is that innocent non-white people are affected and as a group often mis-represented.Finally, if anyone of us, whatever our racial background, were attacked in anyway by someone and had to try to describe them to the police, would we not convey their sex, hair colour, clothing, height, weight and of course skin colour in its various shades ?It's common sense not racial prejudice. 

John Hawkes ● 797d

Jolly good Ivonne, do not apologize there is always one who wants to make something of it.  You only have to look on the Next Door Site.  We need to know what colour people are as do the Police. How else are you you meant to give a description of a person. That's why residents have door camera's to share who to look out for.  Must have been upsetting for your son and his friend.  If residents don't come forward with a proper description how are they meant to be caught.

Barbara Stevens ● 797d

Unfortunately a consequence is that innocent non-white people are affected and as a group often mIsrepresented.There are some experiments you can do on racial profiling, which can be interesting - however unbiased you think you are!

Philippa Bond ● 797d

Go back to Ealing this is Putney, Ivonne's sons friend had taken picture. What you have typed is gooble de goop.

Barbara Stevens ● 797d

I agreeIf you were describing then so people could be on their guard or look out for them, then yes every detail about their description should be madeBut to say my son saw this (I agree, it’s awful) 2 blacks one white, what does that achieve? If you had said 2 gingers one blonde  I would think the same, what was the point? They had been arrested so if someone had seen 3 guys, 2 black one blonde it would not have meant it was themTherefore the race, clothes, trainers etc was irrelevant Moving on from this, it’s been years that the police have been concentrating on soft crime and this is the result

Emma Blackwell ● 797d

Just a couple of observations. The group mentioned in Yvonne's post were not of a single race so that highlights an issue with profiling irrespective of any other reservations. I think facial recognition software was mentioned somewhere in this thread but that has proven to be biased and unreliable for identifying anyone non white. Perhaps because most AI software developers are white males?https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/police-facial-recognition-technology-cant-tell-black-people-apart/

Michael Ixer ● 797d

Ivonne, this is terrible and frightening for your kids to see. I am just glad that the suspects have been detained. And hope that they are charged and remanded in custody . Not released on bail. They are a clear danger to society as is anyone caught with a knife.

Nick Gulliford ● 797d

Ivonne, yes a shocking incident. Were the youths carrying the weapons openly, or were they stopped and searched and the weapons were found on them?  I just wondered how brazen they were?

Martine Guy ● 795d

I have been wondering how people can hide a machete, particularly in the summer.

David Ainsworth ● 795d

'I have been wondering how people can hide a machete, particularly in the summer'.Quite easily as whatever the weather, the uniform of such thugs is made up of black baggy hooded tops and track bottoms.

John Hawkes ● 795d

Hello Martine,I cannot answer your question because the boys were already being detained when my son and his friend stepped out of Putney station.  What was really blood curdling was seeing the size of the knife being held by the police woman.

Ivonne Holliday ● 795d

There is an article on the BBC's website that is really frightening. 'It stains your brain': How social media algorithms show violence to boyshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdqzxypdzo

Ivonne Holliday ● 795d

"the uniform of such thugs is made up of black baggy hooded tops and track bottoms."I bow to your expertise. It might mean that they have to stand and fight, as they won't be able to run away safely.

David Ainsworth ● 795d

Thanks Ivonne. Lots of young people carry a black rucksack, may the police saw a handle sticking out of a bag? If the weapon wasn’t hidden, then the youths must have openly had a machete on PHS or on a train.  Really scary!

Martine Guy ● 795d

Yes, clothes fashions can be a bit of a problem.  The memory of watching a young man scampering sideways across Chiswick High Road still makes me laugh - if he had run straight across he would have lost those half-mast trousers.  It was obviously decidingly uncool to hitch them up securely or be seen to do that!Rucksacks also allow you to have your hands free to use your reach your phone and wallet and to ride a bike...  as well as saving your back.

Philippa Bond ● 795d

Gangs will often hide knives in bins/ bushes to evade being caught with them. They will then go and get them as and when they get involved in a confrontation or dispute with another gang etc. I honestly feel sickened by knife crime and would do anything possible I could to try and solve it. It takes an incredibly disgusting individual to use or carry a knife. Maximum sentences should be given with no dispute. I am also very much for increasing stop and search. There is no reason to be afraid of it if you are innocent!

Nick Gulliford ● 793d

Many don't seem to be able to take a cynical view on the algorhythms which send information and adverts your way just because you clicked on something and which may not be what you wanted to see.  I am reminded of an MP who was researching something which appeared to be a euphemism for something else...  They can give the impression that you like something and want more of it which so often is just not the case.

Philippa Bond ● 793d

You spew out crap Philippa.

Barbara Stevens ● 793d

Sorry Philippa, what has this to do with carrying knives?

Jane Carter ● 793d

'"the uniform of such thugs is made up of black baggy hooded tops and track bottoms."I bow to your expertise. It might mean that they have to stand and fight, as they won't be able to run away safely'.Is there anyone on the Forum who can explain to me what this is supposed to mean ? 🤔

John Hawkes ● 792d

Here is Ivonne's post from above that it is in answer to:Topic: Re:Re:Reply Posted by: Ivonne HollidayDate/Time: 02/09/24 13:40:00There is an article on the BBC's website that is really frightening.'It stains your brain': How social media algorithms show violence to boyshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdqzxypdzo

Philippa Bond ● 792d

And this was posted on the front page of the website on 30 August too.https://www.putneysw15.com/default.asp?section=info&page=concrime470diltongardens.htm

Philippa Bond ● 792d