East End Bengali and Somali street gangs clash 'with guns'

10 September 2009

By Victoria Huntley

LARGE gangs of Bengali and Somali youths have been clashing in running street battles in London’s East End, eye witnesses have reported.

Police confirmed they had to step up street patrols around Hannibal Road, off Stepney Green, after reports of disturbances involving up to 200 youths.

Large groups of rivals had been meeting regularly to fight and had been seen with weapons including machetes and hand guns.

One resident told the East London Advertiser: “It’s only a matter of time before someone gets killed.

“I saw one boy pull a gun out of his trousers.

“The police keep turning up but the youths are back the next night and it starts all over again.

“It’s been going on for weeks. I’ve seen little kids as young as 10 or 11. It’s unbelievable.”

Neighbourhood police patrols have been stepped up which is already having some effect.

The ‘high visibility’ patrols tour the area in the evenings and have also carried out a search for weapons. Several sticks are said to have been found, but there is “no evidence of guns or knives” being used, according to one police source.