United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer has joined forces with actor and activist Idris Elba to launch an initiative aimed at addressing the growing problem of knife crime in the country. With knife attacks on the rise, the government seeks to find solutions to curb the problem.
Unfortunately, as with too many American politicians, it seems likely they will push for more restrictions on knives that will make people defenseless rather than getting to the root of the problem.
Starmer and Elba announced the initiative, titled the “Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime,” on Sunday. It is a collaborative effort involving law enforcement, community leaders, tech companies, and young people to develop strategies to address the knife violence problem.
At the event, Starmer highlighted the urgent need to tackle knife crime head-on. “As director of public prosecutions, I saw first-hand the devastating impact that knife crime has on young people and their families. This is a national crisis that we will tackle head-on,” Starmer said.
Elba, an ardent advocate for violence prevention,” echoed Starmer’s sentiments. “We need to tackle the root causes of knife crime, not just the symptoms. The coalition is a positive step toward rehabilitating our communities from the inside out.”
The project aims to generate research on the factors contributing to knife crime, with a particular focus on youth violence. They have not yet introduced any specific policies, but we can be sure they will push for more government-imposed restrictions on the right to keep and bear knives. Indeed, the U.K. recently banned so-called “Zombie knives.”
First gun control, now on to knife control? What they're pushing in the UK is a sneak preview of what's coming our way.
— Doni 🤓🏴🏴☠️ (@DoniTheMisfit) September 10, 2024
Governments don’t prevent crime; they just disarm the very people who need to protect themselves.
Banning weapons from law-abiding citizens doesn’t stop… pic.twitter.com/5p3uzogQ4z
However, it is worth noting that the U.K. does have a significant problem with knife violence. There were over 50,500 offenses involving sharp instruments recorded in England and Wales in the year ending March 2023, according to the House of Commons Library.
This number represents a 4.7 percent increase from the previous year. Much of the focus on knife crime has been on London. However, other areas, such as the West Midlands and Cleveland, have seen even higher per capita rates. The issue became even more prominent when a crazed knife-wielding individual fatally stabbed three children and injured eight others at a dance studio in Southport.
It is clear that action is needed. Elba hits the nail on the head when he discusses looking at the root causes of knife violence instead of only addressing the symptoms. Unfortunately, given the U.K.’s history, it will focus more on the symptoms and employ “feel good” solutions that won’t actually address the problem – same as in the United States.
One of the most discussed topics in this conversation centers on “Zombie knives,” which were banned in 2016. Elba called for strengthening this ban earlier this year and targeting other bladed weapons.
Speaking to the Guardian on Monday, the star of Luther and The Wire said society was capable of coming together to solve the problem, adding that experts in youth services and bereaved families needed to be able to sit in the same room as politicians and the police, among others, to achieve that.
“When the world is looking in on us, they’re thinking: ‘[England] must have a tolerance for knife crime.’ And we don’t, we shouldn’t,” Elba said.
He added that he wanted to set up an advisory group comprised of bereaved relatives, youth workers and community leaders, as well as “aspirational” young thinkers he said could give an idea of how their contemporaries were thinking. He said he would also invite the police to think about their interactions with different communities.
“It’s not going to happen overnight. But there is a 10-year-old, that we can intervene in their life between now and 17, 18, 19 with what we think about today. There is that person and we should go for it.
…
“The government know zombie knives, machetes and swords have no place in our society … there is a real strong symbol in asking for that ban to be immediate, to tell us … we are running out of tolerance for what’s happening to the young people.”
The term “zombie knife” refers to a type of large blade often designed with serrated edges, bright colors, and aggressive features typically inspired by horror films or video games. Think “Walking Dead.”
The U.K. banned these knives because they are not viewed as practical tools and are marketed for their intimidating appearance. They have been associated with violent crimes.
Yet, despite the ban, criminals are still using these weapons to commit crimes. Moreover, people are still being stabbed with kitchen knives, homemade blades, and even broken bottles.
The problem with trying to ban knives, guns, and other weapons is that no government can ever fully remove every single deadly weapon from society. Indeed, there are more guns than people in the United States, which means the anti-gunners have no chance of actually disarming the public.
The problem with resorting to knife bans is that they will not address the underlying factors contributing to violence – which means violent people will continue to victimize others.
Instead of the government passing laws against knives simply to make people feel safe, it should employ measures that could actually decrease violence. Elba suggested youth engagement programs because many young people in both of our countries turn to crime due to a lack of positive role models and opportunities. Community-based programs that provide mentorship, education, and job training could go a long way toward steering at-risk youth away from violence.
Mental health is another issue. Many criminals come from traumatic backgrounds. Perhaps making it easier for these folks to obtain treatment would be a far better remedy than throwing people in cages for possessing a blade.
The bottom line is that disarming people does not make them safe – it makes them more vulnerable to the thugs who won’t follow government restrictions. If we are serious about addressing violence, we have to do the hard work of addressing the root causes.
