Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER Published: 2 May 2008
Nightclub is closed after five people are stabbed
Councillor speaks out after revellers are hurt on violent weekend
A TOTAL of five people were stabbed over the weekend prompting Islington councillors to suspend the licence of a Holloway Road nightclub. Manjaro’s nightclub, near Highbury Corner, was the scene of two separate stabbings which police believe were linked.
The first incident took place in the early hours of Saturday and the second on Sunday. Three men were attacked in the first incident and two people stabbed in the second.
At an urgent meeting of the council’s licensing committee on Monday, councillors agreed a request from the Metropolitan Police to suspend the club’s licence which means it cannot open for the next 20 days.
Councillor Stefan Kasprzyk, the Lib Dem chairman of Islington’s licensing committee, said: “This council will not tolerate knife crime in our borough and we have acted quickly to stop the problems at this club. “Residents tell us that knife crime is one of their top concerns. The suspension of Manjaro’s licence shows how seriously the council takes the issue of knife attacks. “We will work with the police to take whatever action is necessary to rid the borough of the scourge of people carrying knives and we will use all our available resources to help the police solve these crimes.”
Two of the victims from Saturday night’s stabbing remain in hospital and the third has been discharged. Of the two men stabbed on Sunday, one is still hospital.
A 23-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the second stabbing.
The club’s licence has been suspended until the council reviews it in full on May 22.
Residents wishing to make representations about Manjaro’s licence should contact the council’s licensing section by May 5.