Brixton Pathfinders March Against Gun and Knife Violence
22 August 2024 |
From Santley Street to Ferndale Road to Clapham North into Clapham Road, then Stockwell Road, the Brixton Pathfinders led a drum corps in opposition to rising gun and knife violence. According to 2023 census data and official crime statistics, one analyst has found “Per 1,000 residents in Brixton there were 385 crimes last year. This compares to the London average of about 95 crimes per 1,000 residents.” With Brixton rating 9.5 out of 10, with 10 being the most dangerous neighborhood, the Seventh-day Adventist church on Santley Street, Brixton, saw an opportunity to advocate for peace.
The Pathfinder Club drum corps made their march with congregants and community members holding signs and banners calling for a safer city and “Peace Over Violence.” The procession ended on Windrush Square, where the public gathered to hear speeches petitioning for peace. Pastor Richard Daly, the pastor of the SDA church, opened with a quote from Bob Marley: “The world is in trouble.” Later, a Lambeth community group representative made a short speech about knife crime. For hours afterward, community members came to the mic to share stories of loved ones who were lost to gun and knife violence.
The overall atmosphere for the event was jubilant yet weighted with the awareness that the issue had overtaken the neighborhood. Many vocalized how such violence and fatalities have been normalized for Brixton residents, creating a desensitization that prevents action from being taken to confront the issue. In organizing the march, the local SDA church is acknowledging that the government is not addressing the violence or the core issues that cause it. Led by faith and profound humility, the church is hoping to change the local culture one march at a time.
