Multiple stabbings in London

Is it being suggested that this man was schizophrenic? I still can’t find any reference to mental illness or him being known to services so far - just that he was driving a van and may have hit a pedestrian before he went on the rampage, and that the injuries he has himself were sustained in the road accident.

sarnia are you suggesting Rowley is lying when he discusses London crime statistics? You might like to believe the police are all dreadful but their behaviour in this horrible incident suggests otherwise. Rowley calls for wider police powers over weapons and searching. I guess you think that isn’t right.

We need to remember also that cannabis use is linked to schizophrenia and yet it is freely used by young people.
www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/young-men-highest-risk-schizophrenia-linked-cannabis-use-disorder

Sorry I’ve asked for my previous comment re asylum seekers to be removed It should have been a new post.

ronib

Iam64 I think you have misunderstood my comment. If Sadiq Khan is suggesting that schizophrenia can be prevented by opening more youth centres, I think he’s mistaken.
Schizophrenia seems very heavily implicated in causing physical harm to innocent bystanders and also to the premature death of the person with this disease. I don’t know why it has not attracted research funding into brain chemistry.

Whilst I agree with most of this, many schizophrenics are more likely to harm themselves than other people.

My MiL has schizophrenia, somewhat overtaken now by vascular dementia.

Both my daughter and I have worked with claimants with schizophrenia. If they’re given correct support, the right medication and understood properly many people with schizophrenia can lead fairly normal lives.

What we need, as well as research, is more community mental health nurses and far far better, well staffed mental health services UK wide.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ronib

Iam64 I think you have misunderstood my comment. If Sadiq Khan is suggesting that schizophrenia can be prevented by opening more youth centres, I think he’s mistaken.
Schizophrenia seems very heavily implicated in causing physical harm to innocent bystanders and also to the premature death of the person with this disease. I don’t know why it has not attracted research funding into brain chemistry.

It has.

ronib

I would like to point out that schizophrenia has been known about for a long time. It doesn’t seem to have attracted major funding to research its causes although treatment plans usually involve taking antipsychotic medications.
Sadiq Khan is campaigning to improve the psychological health of young people in London which is a good idea but without a full understanding of the brain chemistry behind schizophrenia, I don’t see that as a long term solution.

The number of research studies into schizophrenia published over the past 25 years has quadrupled. There's loads of it, if you look.

www.webmd.com/schizophrenia/schizophrenia-research

Iam64 I think you have misunderstood my comment. If Sadiq Khan is suggesting that schizophrenia can be prevented by opening more youth centres, I think he’s mistaken.
Schizophrenia seems very heavily implicated in causing physical harm to innocent bystanders and also to the premature death of the person with this disease. I don’t know why it has not attracted research funding into brain chemistry.

ronib, you’re correct, schizophrenia is a well recognised serious mh problem. Suggesting research into this illness should be prioritised over research to understand and support the increase in psychological problems in children makes no sense.

vegansrock

Just heard Met Commissioner Mark Rowley, on the radio saying crime in London is statistically lower than several other areas in the U.K.- Birmingham being one. Also, that crime is concentrated in certain areas - 2/3 of London does not experience violent crime. It’s a myth that crime in London is out of control - just another stick to beat Khan with.

Mark Rowley and Sadiq Khan need replacing asap. Hopefully the latter will be tomorrow.

I would like to point out that schizophrenia has been known about for a long time. It doesn’t seem to have attracted major funding to research its causes although treatment plans usually involve taking antipsychotic medications.
Sadiq Khan is campaigning to improve the psychological health of young people in London which is a good idea but without a full understanding of the brain chemistry behind schizophrenia, I don’t see that as a long term solution.

Just heard Met Commissioner Mark Rowley, on the radio saying crime in London is statistically lower than several other areas in the U.K.- Birmingham being one. Also, that crime is concentrated in certain areas - 2/3 of London does not experience violent crime. It’s a myth that crime in London is out of control - just another stick to beat Khan with.

Yes swords, samurai swords, machetes and the like are easily available - but should they be? Maybe put on the same footing as guns? Yes, I know kitchen knives are available but that isn’t a reason for not banning 3 foot samurai swords.

I already said- swords and other lethal weapons are freely and easily sold on-line, but I'll say it again.

I can see that we could put in place things to stop the purchase of swords etc but there is very little we can do to stop the sale of knives, and he would still have been very dangerous with a common kitchen knife.

You have to ask why people are allowed to buy weapons such as swords or machetes so easily.

The government chose to close down mental health institutions and now we have people on the streets who should be confined. There is also a major problem with drugs and the effects it has on people's minds.

I'm currently reading a book on the Tories and the incompetence is appalling. They really do have a great deal to answer for, yet they refuse to admit their failures. Just like Tony Blair.

There is an election coming up and I'm at a loss who to vote for.

joseann Yes I live in an inner London borough, thank you. There are incidents like this in many places , not just London, but some people seem to think Khan is to blame for crime anywhere in the country. Yes, Khan is in control of the police , but the police were brilliant in this attack, we don’t know this attackers background, but from social media he wasn’t known to the police previously. That will no doubt come to light later. I would like people to remember which party cut experienced police numbers and that Johnson , when mayor, promised not to close police stations or fire stations, but did precisely that. If it does emerge that this attacker had “ mental health issues”, I would not be surprised.

I'm sorry if I sounded a bit exasperated towards you vegansrock in my question, it was not meant to be personal. I'm not usually this upset in the middle of the night, and it would be inappropriate to comment on why at this particular time. Suffice to say, that when things happen literally on your doorstep, and you can picture the grief of those in the community known to you, it's hard.

vegansrock

I’m not sure what people who blame the London mayor think he should have done to prevent this sort of random attack. I blame the cutting of mental health services.

To a large extent yes vegansrock, but are you a Londoner?
Many of us do feel that Sadiq Khan has failed to keep us safe, and we have to put some of the blame on him because:

1. He is the Police and Crime Commissioner for London.
2. He oversees the Met's budget and decides how it is spent.
3. He opposes stop and search.
4. He sends out the wrong messages to those intent on doing harm.

For the safety of my DGC, or any child, I want anyone exhibiting suspicious behaviour to be searched by the police, though I realise that this opens up a can of ugly worms especially in the capital.

I’m not sure what people who blame the London mayor think he should have done to prevent this sort of random attack. I blame the cutting of mental health services.

Rick Prior, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said the attack was a "sad reminder" of the dangers officers faced to keep Londoners safe.

"It's often forgotten by people who attack our profession and the difficult and dynamic decisions which officers are confronted with on an hourly basis, that we work with heroes whose courage is incredible," he said.

👏🏻👏🏻

SiL says the local Facebook pages are full of hostile comments directed at Sadiq Khan, and how, since 2016, London has become more lawless under his watch. I don't think that can be disputed, but much as I detest Sadiq Khan and think he's a disaster for London, I'm not sure I'd lay the blame entirely at his feet. I don't think London has had a decent mayor since the role was created, but Londoners weren't given the option of just an Assembly, it was a mayor and Assembly or nothing. Hobson's choice really.

Redbridge police are saying they found no trace of a prior incident involving him, so he isn't known to them.
SiL says the local Facebook pages are full of hostile comments directed at Sadiq Khan, and how, since 2016, London has become more lawless under his watch.