Scotland Yard calls emergency meeting amid spike in London killings

With the British capital experiencing an exceptionally high level of gun and knife crime and murder rate overtaking New York for the first time ever, Scotland Yard today held an emergency meeting with community leaders and youth workers in a bid to rapidly identify, hear and respond to any community tensions.

The rise in street violence in the British capital city has led to 55 murder investigations this year, with London's murder rate overtaking New York for the first time ever. At least 35 of those killed were stabbed to death.

Last evening, in another spate of violence, six teenagers were stabbed in separate incidents in London over just 90 minutes.

"London is currently experiencing an exceptionally high level of gun and knife crime. It is important that our response is fully informed by community concerns and any community tensions are rapidly identified, heard and responded to, the Metropolitan Police's invitation to today's emergency meeting said.

The victims of yesterday's stabbing included a 13-year-old boy and three 15-year-old boys, two of whom were injured in the same incident. All the boys are said to be in a stable condition in hospital.

Met Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, has announced a new 120-strong taskforce to tackle organised crime, in addition to the 80-member Operation Sceptre anti-knife unit launched in May 2017.

The issue of knife crime and street violence is set to dominate the ongoing campaign for local council elections in the city, scheduled for May 3.

British Prime Minister Theresa May has come under pressure over the issue from the Opposition Labour party, which have blamed the government's cuts to policing budgets for the spike in the city's crime rate.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has also faced criticism amid the growing number of violent crimes in the city and was forced to deny that the police had lost control of the situation.

"I'm angered and heartbroken by the number of violent deaths on our streets this week and this year. It's been devastating to see lives so many of them young lives senselessly ended and more families left in despair," he said in a statement on Twitter.

"Let me be clear there is no reason to carry a knife. To anyone who does they will be caught, and they will feel the full force of the law," he said.

He also called on the UK government for increased funding for the police force.

"Already in the last seven years we have lost 700 million pounds from the policing budget. Over the next three years the government plans to cut another 300 million pounds. That's a billion pounds worth of cuts. So, my message to the government is please work with us to solve this national problem," he said.

Meanwhile, protesters and community leaders gathered in east London to call for an end to the recent spate of gang violence in which several teenagers have died. Protest organisers Guiding A New Generation (G.A.N.G) asked local residents to share their stories and plead for an end to the killings over a communal megaphone.