Open letter campaigns to end knife crime in Bristol

The initiative was sparked by many fatal stabbings across the city in recent years

An end to the "scourge of knife crime" has been demanded in an open letter to Bristol.

News outlets and other organisations in the city, including Bristol Live and Bristol 24/7, have signed the document calling for action.

They plan to raise awareness, get knives off the street, and to hold people in power to account for the fatal attacks on young people.

It states knife crime has been worsened by cuts to vital youth services.

• Read the full open letter on Bristol Live

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In the open letter, signatories have called upon the city to unite and say "enough is enough" to knife crime.

The initiative was sparked after the fatal stabbings this year of Max Dixon, 16, and Mason Rist, 15, who were stabbed in Knowle West on 27 January; and Darrian Williams, 16, in Easton on 14 February.

There have also been numerous non-fatal attacks on other teenagers in Easton, Little Stoke Park and Broadmead.

"All this comes after 2023, a year in which there was an incident involving a knife on average more than once a week," the letter said.

Darrian Williams was fatally stabbed in Rawnsley Park

The open letter calls attention to the following six points of action:

• Set up a task force - "We will develop a community-driven task force to meet and discuss the issue, how best to tackle it and how we can make a real difference with those in power."

• Getting knives off the street - "We will work with the campaigners to raise awareness of initiatives designed to get knives off the streets."

• Social media - "We will look at the Online Safety Bill and see if it goes far enough where it comes to harmful knife-related content on social media and how easy it is for children to see."

• Raise awareness - "We will work together to raise the awareness of how knife crime is linked to poverty, education, employment, social exclusion and the collapse in youth services."

• Lobby the government - "We will cover the issue in the context of the General Election, using our findings from the taskforce and our reporting to lobby for change."

• Hold power to account - "We will scrutinise and hold Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol City Council to account on their plans and models to make Bristol safer."

A community vigil was held for Max Dixon and Mason Rist, who died in hospital after being attacked by a group of people

"Knife crime is a public health issue," the letter added.

"Worsened by cuts that have decimated vital services and youth provision, hitting some of the poorest communities hardest.

"We don't have all the answers. This campaign will be a moving thing that will develop as time passes. But the key message is, we must see change in the city. "The best way of giving ourselves a chance of making that happen is by working together."

So far, the letter has been signed by Bristol Live, Bristol 24/7, The Cable, Bristol World, knife crime campaigner Leanne Reynolds, Reverend Dr Dawnecia Palmer, Martin Bisp from Empire Fighting Chance, and Adam Tutton from Bristol Rovers Community Trust.

In addition, Abdul Malik from Easton Jamia mosque, Councillor Mohamed Makawi, Patrick Hart from BCfm Radio, and Desmond Brown from Growing Futures have also signed their names.

Pete Gavan, senior editor for Bristol Live, Gloucestershire Live online and Somerset Live, who came up with the idea for the letter, said he wanted it to be "community-driven and led by those who know most about it".

"We have all reported on the appalling incidents of knife crime we've seen in Bristol this year," he said.

"None of us want to see a repeat of the three weeks that saw three young lives lost, but we know to make a difference, we are stronger together.

"Together we can bring real change."