Tension and violence rising among young people in south London, police tell BBC
Police in south London are reporting a rise in gang-related violence and exploitation targeting vulnerable youth. Officers emphasize that summer months are a critical period for recruitment, often involving children from deprived backgrounds.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing challenges of youth safety and community-level crime prevention in urban environments.
Image caption, PC Zoe Ticehurst tries to engage with children who are at risk of exploitation
London home affairs correspondent Published 4 hours ago "There are parents who think next time we come to their door, it will be to tell them their child is dead."
I'm told this by PC Zoe Ticehurst and her colleague, Det Con Faisal El Issaoui.
They are showing me around the neighbourhoods of Lambeth and Southwark in south London, where some children are highly vulnerable to the gangs who operate there.
El Issaoui explained: "It's very hard for a lot of young people who are brought up on these estates. That's the only thing they can see.
"Unfortunately, when you get to a certain age, there's a choice that has to be made."
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