LAW ENFORCEMENT
Police fear post-lockdown showdown after social media baiting
Social media ‘baiting’ during the Coronavirus lockdown could be stoking an atmosphere where gang violence spills onto the streets as restrictions are lifted, according to a senior police officer.
John Apter, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said social media sites "have been a breeding ground" for gangs to taunt each other.
"We are very much aware of the pressure cooker that has developed when it comes to gang members who want to create mayhem when this lockdown is eased," he said.
"My real genuine fear is that some scores are going to be settled and that will mean more people being hurt or, God forbid, being murdered on our streets."
Mr Apter said that although crime levels in England and Wales have fallen by more than a quarter during the pandemic, a surge in gang violence linked to county lines may escalate tensions.
The Metropolitan Police has launched a blitz on gang activity and has created new "violence suppression units" to deal with the predicted surge.
Mr Apter said: "We have never been in this situation before so I think it's not unreasonable to say that the level of crime which we have seen reduce will significantly increase again.
"Social media platforms have been a breeding ground for individuals to bait each other during this crisis and that's potentially a recipe for disaster because when the unlock does start to happen then those gangs will want to come together to settle scores."
According to Sky News, the family of Joseph Williams-Torres, 20, who was shot dead in Walthamstow in March 2018, said more needs to be done in an effort to defuse the threat of revenge attacks.
Joseph was never part of a gang - but his killers, who were members of the Mali Boys street gang, thought he was. He was shot in the chest and legs while he sat in a van with a friend.
Mr Williams-Torres's father, Anthony, added: "Just search online and it won't be hard to see gangs, including those who killed my son, egging each other on online."
Some gangs are exploiting apps like Houseparty and Snapchat to intimidate their rivals, criminologist Craig Pinkey said.
Mr Pinkey, director of Solve: The Centre for Youth Violence and Conflict, said some youngsters in Birmingham have already started settling scores.
"What we have seen recently during the pandemic is a rise in which young people are engaging in violent conversations and conflicts on social media platforms," he said.
"There is a recent case where there was a drive-by shooting on a residential street which was a consequence of an argument that took place on Houseparty.
Mr Pinkey said social media was driving youths to commit crimes and has predicted a surge in violence fuelled by youths eager to reclaim their turf.
A spokesman for Houseparty said: "The safety of our community is essential to Houseparty. We do not tolerate any forms of discrimination, harassment, illicit or illegal behaviour in our community. We've built tools and developed policies to protect users and their experience."
Snapchat said it "condemns gang violence" and encouraged people to report any content that could violate its guidelines.
Northwest London rapper Stuka disagrees that social media will lead to an increase in gang violence and believes it is the uncertainty caused by the lockdown that will drive some young people into crime.
