On 7th of March 2024, for the preparation of Ramadan in Bristol, we have organised safeguarding conference about knife crime during Ramadan and beyond, conference has engaged different community stakeholder include local young people, parents, carers, faith groups ( imams from local mosque) police, safer options and professionals from our community in Bristol.
Conference has addressed the escalating Knife crime and significant loss it has caused to our community in the recent months and years, the alarming concerns about the number of young people who are either involved in knife crime, lost their lives, sustained injuries, or received threats. In 2023, there was an incident involving a knife on average more than once a week, Avon and Somerset Police figures suggest.
It is heart breaking fact, that Over the space of month from end January to first week in March, three teenagers in Bristol lost their lives in fatal stabbing attacks. On Saturday 2 of March, young man has been stabbed and hospitalized and again On Tuesday, a 30-year-old man also died after being stabbed in an altercation in st puals.
Parents, young people and community groups who attended the conference has shared their worries, anxiety and stressed the need of implying culturally responsive approach to support young people , build their resilience and aspiration and do all necessary and required interventions to reduce youth crime.
Faith leaders , professionals and community groups has acknowledged that Ramadan is approaching, there will be large number young people coming
out during the evenings in Ramadan for Taraweeh Prayers, parents pleaded the importance of mosque and youth organisations to be proactive to reduce or stop any potential youth violence.
participants discussed hot spots, potential risk and proposed solutions to prevent , minimise and tackle down potential youth violence and knife crime during Ramadan and beyond, police also reassured the community and participants of conference, giving them update and confirming that they aware the situation. Representatives from the mosques also reassured the community about their understanding of the situation, the need and emphasised their determination to work with local police and community.
After extensive discussions , conference has highlighted importance of acknowledging the need to do things differently, and proposed few agreed action plan to have pragmatic and attainable solution for the knife crime. There will be follow up meetings.