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Camden New Journal - by PAUL KEILTHY
Published: 25 October 2007

Anger at politicians after more violence

AS a 12-year-old boy lay in hospital receiving treated for gashes inflicted by a bottle during youth violence on Monday night, residents plagued by gang strife asked: “What happened to the police we were promised?”
The child, who was found bleeding from two cuts to his face at 7pm after police were called to a disturbance involving 20 youths at a bus stop in Malden Road, was the latest victim of months of disorder around the Denton estate in Kentish Town and was the fifth person to be assaulted in the area in three days.
A Polish man was attacked at the same bus stop on Saturday.
Teenagers who spoke to the New Journal said three youths were beaten in Ferdinand Street on Sunday – an attack that has not been reported to police but which residents confirmed – and said the violence was the result of a tit-for-tat between gangs the Denton Boyz and the Silent Movers and other youths from as far afield as Camden Town and Swiss Cottage.
Older residents and shopkeepers immediately pointed to the promises made by all parties during fierce politicking in the build-up to July’s council by-election in Haverstock ward.
Malden Road resident Yasmin Allen said: “The election was fought on a bunch of lies; nothing has been done. We need a constant police patrol.”
In a fleeting by-election visit in July, Mayor Ken Livingstone said he would support a 24-hour police presence if the Lib Dem/Conservative council would pay for it, while Lib Dems said they would encourage dialogue with youth groups as well as lobbying the police for increased patrols.
The Lib Dem councillor who won the poll, Matt Sanders, said on Tuesday that the council had invested in youth activities in Queen’s Crescent, adding: “The police aren’t actually moving these gangs of youths away, which is why a dispersal zone is there.”
Residents believe there is a shortage of officers in the area because of a target-driven police mentality since February, a claim the police have denied, pointing to the securing of nine ASBOs as evidence that the Haverstock community police unit, the six-strong Safer Neighbourhoods Team (SNT), was tackling youth disorder.
But Camden Police confirmed that the SNT, which is understrength, had not been on duty at the time of any of the weekend’s incidents. Chief Inspector Paul Morris said yesterday (Wednesday): “I recognise people’s concerns over the SNT in the last month. But it is not just the SNT. We have additional resources to supplement them and Haverstock is a borough responsibility.
“There has been an issue with youth disorder, but what people don’t necessarily see is that we have a number of people who we have evidence against who will be arrested – 16 young people are going to be arrested for youth disorder.”

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