Bristol city leaders meet community over knife crime fears

City leaders and community members have held a meeting to allay concerns over knife crime in Bristol.

The meeting was held by Bristol's mayor Marvin Rees, police and youth workers at Malcolm X Community Centre on Monday.

It was held after an 18-year-old man was found with fatal stab wounds in Hayes Close, near the Old Market Roundabout on Thursday.

Police said they were working hard to "engage and assure" community members.

Youth workers who attended the meeting said up to 100 young people were involved in two gangs in the city and feared they could be carrying knives.

Learning Partnership West youth worker, Omari Cato, attended the meeting and said he believed the situation was a "losing battle" unless the city "steps up to deal with it".

"Even through lockdown it increased," he said. "The youths are still being made to go out there and hustle."

Mr Cato said with a lot of youth centres being closed, and other services being cut, there had not been anywhere "where young people can just, go".

"I'm a strong believer we can make things fine again. As long as the youths are heard and can dream again," he added.

"They've got beef, they've got poverty, there's mental health issues because of lockdown and certain things have affected them," he continued. "They just need to be heard and made to feel comfortable enough to say, 'I need help'."

'Lot of emotion'

Mayor Marvin Rees said the city did not want to lose any more young people in what was a "heart breaking" nationwide situation.

"Tonight there was a lot of emotion in the room, a lot of frustration," he said.

"For all we do every day, where we try and bring hope in to the lives of people, we know there are so many other forces beyond our control taking it away from people."

Avon and Somerset Constabulary officer Mark Runacres said the force had been carrying out "targeted work" to engage with people on the issue, especially those who were at risk.

"We are working hard to assure and engage communities who have shared concerns," he said.

"Our thoughts obviously go out to the family of the victim and his friends."