In east London, Tower Hamlets Council has produced a viral campaign to highlight to young people in the borough the dangers of carrying a knife.
The short film clip will be sent round websites such as Youtube and Bebo to reinforce the Home Office message that if you carry a knife you run the risk of it being turned on you and that its presence can escalate violence very quickly. As well as the networking sites, the viral will be used by community and youth groups and the council is happy to share it with other local authorities.
Comparatively Tower Hamlets does not have a problem with knife crime but with the spotlight on recent attacks across London, the council aims to get young people talking about the issue and make them aware of the risks of carrying a knife. The council works closely in partnership with the Metropolitan Police who have supported the film.
Tower Hamlets Council’s Lead Member for Cleaner, Safer, Greener Cllr Abdal Ullah said: “We don’t have a particular issue with knife crime in the borough but it would be foolish to ignore what is happening across the capital and in fact the country. People are certainly very concerned about knife crime at the moment and we wanted to get our young people to think about it and talk to them in a way that engages them.
“There is no doubt that the film we have produced is dramatic and hard hitting. But it needs to be. We have not set out to patronise young people, there is no soft side to the reality of knife crime. We know that a film won’t solve the issues around knife crime alone but we also know that encouraging young people to talk about it and showing the potential consequences is a good way to get them to give serious consideration to the issue.”
The film shows a young man running through busy London streets, with another figure in hot pursuit. It is shot from the point of view of the people who watch the chase unfold, in real time as they would hear and see it.
As the chase nears to an end the young men begin to fight by the road and the pursuer stabs the young man. As he lays wounded on the ground, it is revealed that the victim and the young man who have stabbed him are actually the same person. It is a fast-paced and dramatic twist which aims to draw viewers in and spells out the message that people are at risk of being injured by their own blade.
Cllr Ullah added: “The final shots show the young man drop the knife. Of all the messages we want to get out through this film that is key. We want people to think long and hard about the risks of carrying knives and put down their weapons before they injure other people – or just as likely themselves.”
The viral can be downloaded at: http://www.beam.tv/workspace/viewFolder/hGZqNRDHdJ Follow the link, download the clip, save it and view on your computer.
