'Tension' between identified Gloucester gangs linked to stabbings sparks call for action
Young people carrying knives in Gloucester are said to be doing so as many are directly involved in gangs in and around the city. There have been terrifying stories come to light of gangs carrying and using weapons with intentions to harm rival gang members in an attempt to gain respect on the streets in Gloucester.
Many of these young people involved in gangs are said to be carrying a weapon as they are in fear of a rival gang stabbing them as part of a one-upmanship rivalry which could be catastrophic. The young people involved, are trying to send a message to rivals and 'the bigger the weapon, the more respect'.
In recent weeks there have been reports of stabbings in Gloucester which include Bibury Road on August 19 and Cecil Road on September 23 and have been linked to two groups which are known to each other. Investigations are ongoing and arrests are being made, however parents are growing increasingly concerned.
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It is not only gang members who are said to be carrying knives as it has been said children, some as young as ten-years-old, are carrying knives as they are worried about going out to play and being confronted by another child carrying a weapon. Another recent incident saw a member of the public raise the alarm when a primary school aged child was seen in a local supermarket with a knife.
It is believed there are multiple rival gangs operating in Gloucester and surrounding areas, with another from Cheltenham. The weapons which some of these gang members have been carrying are like something seen in films and are made with the purpose to cause harm.
Many knives and weapons have been surrendered from young people who have been trying to break away from the gangs. Parents who have found knives in their children's rooms, and those who have decided to turn in their weapons, have been in contact with anti-knife crime charity staff at Increase the Peace, who have organised a safe retrieval and disposal of the items.
Increase the Peace leader Delroy Ellis, 47, from Gloucester has been campaigning for proper action to be taken in the city, to reduce knife crime. For nearly 15 years, he has been doing everything he can to engage with young people, to explain the implications and detrimental effects of carrying a weapon.
However, since the brutal murder of Ramarni Crosby in Stratton Road, Gloucester, in 2021, Delroy feels tensions have been running high with rival gangs in the city. Many scared parents, and young people involved in the gangs, are said to see him a the first port of call when a stabbing has occurred in Gloucester, or when a weapon is found or needed to be surrendered.
Delroy said: "It's going to be 15 years of Increase the Peace next October and I am hoping to start a movement to get people behind us to do something about the knife crime in this city. I am going to be running a half marathon in Gloucester park at 11am on the last Sunday of each month from September 29 until August next year.
"I am going to be there from 10am and give a talk at 10.45am. I invite anyone and everyone to join me, from children, adults and everyone in the community, and I hope to raise money for the charity to fund sessions mentoring a young person impacted by knife crime, involved in gangs, or needing support.
"We have a knife surrender box which is going to be at the park on the day, where people can discreetly give us knives or weapons on the day. I have employed security staff to be on hand to deal with the weapons being handed over when I am doing the run, however if anyone does not feel comfortable bringing a weapon to the park, send us a message at the increase the Peace Facebook page and we can arrange a safe collection of the item.
"The half marathon is going to be the first I am doing in the lead up to mark 15 years of the charity next year and shall finish on Gloucester Peace Day which I hope is going to be confirmed as going ahead for August next year.
"Each run after the first on Sunday, shall be in memory of someone who has lost their life as result of a knife. We need to create a movement where we can make change."
Delroy is looking to get the people of Gloucester involved with creating a piece of artwork which has been built from surrendered knives in Gloucester. This is especially poignant as he feels so many have been affected by knife crime in our Gloucester.
He said: "We are going to create an art work which symbolises preventing knife crime 'Piece by Peace'. The tagline and hope is we can 'Together We Can Make a Difference to our City and Communities, Piece by Peace'. There is so much driving me forwards to do more as I hear about the tensions on the streets and it is going to go off again.
"What is pushing me more than ever is I have had a young person say to me they are safer in a gang instead of being at home with their family as they are scared something is going to happen to their family members if they are not involved with the gang.
"There's a real problem with gangs in Gloucester. I have had a young person say to me a gang has said they are one of them, and they do not want anything to do with it, they are forced. They do not want to go out and die.
"It's serious. These young people and parents call me first to respond to an incident instead of the police as they are in fear of the repercussions when the police are involved. They are considered to be a grass if they speak to police and there is a code among these young people, and they feel like no matter anything, you do not grass.
"I have had reports of primary school age children carrying knives when they go out to play as they are scared of being stabbed. I've been alerted by a member of the public of a child walking into a supermarket with a knife.
"There was an incident in the last couple of weeks of a young person running around Kingsway with a machete and a school had to go into lockdown. It does not matter your background, how much money you have as a family or where you are from. These young people are getting drawn into gangs whether they like it or not.
"Some of the lads I work with do not want anything to do with the gang. However if the gang decides you are part of it, they are going to send a message to someone who you may know or they may send a message to a family member from a rival gang in the same way, and there have been incidents of people being harmed as a result.
"People think they shall not be affected, however it is only a matter of time. Young kids I see are part of a gang as they think it is going to give them respect.
"If they refuse to be part of the gang, they are seen as being against them. It leads to the young person feeling they are safer in the gang than at home, as a message is going to be sent otherwise.
"With this comes carrying weapons and the bigger the knife, the more respect they have, as no one is going to mess with them. Then people get hurt.
"Together we can make a change. We need more youth provision, outreach workers and to engage with these young people to make a difference before someone gets seriously hurt."
Gloucestershire Police are aware there are tensions involving groups of young people in Gloucester. However the force believes there are only two groups which are involved with recent incidents in the city.
Police are appealing for the public to come forward with information following the concerns around the ongoing tensions between the groups of youths. Police believe a small number of individuals, who are known to each other, are believed to be behind the incidents and officers are aware that a video has been in circulation showing an incident in Gloucester earlier this month.
Superintendent Rob Lawton, of Gloucestershire Constabulary, said: “There are currently tensions between two small groups of youths in the Gloucester area. We are aware that a video has been circulating of a particular incident and we would ask that anyone with footage does not share this on social media but instead hands it to police.
“We want everybody to feel safe in their communities. I want to reassure everyone that our officers are working hard to ensure that those who are behaving in this manner are dealt with robustly to stop further incidents.
“I would also urge anybody with information to come forward and let us know, no matter how small or insignificant they believe it to be. This is not something we can tackle alone, it is a partnership effort, and the more we are told, the more we can do.”
Anybody with information is asked to contact Gloucestershire Constabulary through the website, quoting incident 383 of 13 September. Alternatively you can contact Crmestoppers completely anonymously and you may be eligible for a reward of up to £1000. You can call 0800 555 111 or report information online. More information can be found here.