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Community cops in estate stoning
A POLICE car was attacked with stones in a Kentish Town estate on Monday in the latest of a string of ambushes in the north of the borough.
The 6pm attack in the Peckwater estate, which left a window broken but caused no injuries, came after reinforcements had been called by Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) who had been abused and had stones thrown at them.
Yesterday (Wednesday), the New Journal received what claimed to be a note from a Peckwater gang warning of a “War Against the Police”.
The highly abusive letter, which was signed by the ‘“P-squad leader”, began: “Lately The Police Have Been Coming Around The Peckwater Estate Alot, We Aint Avin It No More.”
But the incident was played down by Kentish Town community police chief Sgt Peter Ryan.
He said: “We won’t allow a few individuals, who we know don’t come from the estate, to give Peckwater a bad name. We won’t shy away from this but we won’t over-react. There is not an ongoing gang issue on that estate and there have been no crimes reported in Peckwater in the last week.” He added that he would be meeting parents of some younger estate residents.
The attack follows months of rising tensions. There have been at least six stone attacks on officials in estates in Kentish Town and Gospel Oak since March. Council housing patrol officers have borne the brunt, with one officer stoned by youths he said were trying to hijack his marked vehicle in June, also in the Peckwater estate.
Another housing patrol officer had his arm broken when he was struck by a scooter while investigating reports of youth disturbances in Gospel Oak.
The attacks also follow a massive emphasis on tackling youth disorder by Camden police, with borough commander Chief Supt Dominic Clout repeatedly warning that teenage violence was the most serious threat facing Camden this summer.
The police have ordered a crackdown in Queen’s Crescent but locals feel this has pushed problems into neighbouring estates. Widespread use of stop-and-search on young people has also raised tensions, according to critics. |
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