Violence in London below 2019 levels but “still too high” UK News

Violent crime in London is “suppressed” below pre-pandemic levels despite a recent increase in incidents, according to a senior Metropolitan Police officer.

Speaking at a London Assembly Police and Crime Committee meeting today, Met Police Violent Crime Specialist Alex Murray said there had been “Significant reductions” in violent crime during the lockdown and that the Met “fully expects a rebound” in violent incidents as lockdown restrictions relax.

But Commander Murray said reducing violent crime in the capital was the Metropolitan Police’s “number one priority” and that an “unprecedented amount of activity” was being carried out to ensure that violence remained below levels. ‘before the pandemic.

Commander Murray said: “The violence is increasing from the lockdown. What we do at the Met is we compare our data to 2019 when there was no lockdown, and we see how we’re doing there. We fully expect a rebound and we are seeing it. But it is removed below 2019 levels.

“This is coming back from a very low Covid restriction lockdown. Armed robberies are increasing, knife injuries and violence among under 25s are increasing, knife crime is increasing as we come out of lockdown. But compared to 2019, we do not see a return to pre-Covid levels. It is our job and everyone’s job to try to minimize this increase.

According to Commander Murray, during the first lockdown in 2020, violent crime such as robbery fell by up to 60%, while overall during the pandemic it fell by around 25%.

But there have already been several high-profile incidents this year since lockdown restrictions began to ease, including a mass brawl and stabbing in Hyde Park which were widely viewed after being taped and the footage published online.

Today, Commander Murray said the violence in London was “still too high” despite not reaching pre-pandemic levels, and explained that the Met would focus on “l ‘enforcement, removal and prevention “as lockdown restrictions continue to ease, and it would” work with communities to combat violence. ”