Tower Hamlets rap group steal the show at anti-gang crime event

A London youth charity chose Shadwell to host an anti-gang crime event on Sunday designed to bring the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham together.

The rap group Mixed Opinions. made up of pupils from George Green’s school in the Isle of Dogs, were stars of the event at St Paul’s church on Sunday.

They were joined by members of XLP, who work to tackle gang crime across the capital, including its founder Patrick Regan, Jim Fitzpatrick, MP for Poplar & Limehouse and Stephen Timms, MP for East Ham.

Leanne Sedin, the charity’s borough leader for Tower Hamlets, said: “We had a full house.

“Patrick was able to talk about what the root causes of young people getting involved in gangs are.”

XLP visit schools in the borough to offer reading lessons and learning support and run an arts showcase which gave Mixed Opinions their first chance. They performed their own song called “Child of War” on Sunday about growing up in London which they have previously performed at the IndigO2 venue.

Ms Sedin said: “Statistics have just shown that Tower Hamlets is among the most deprived boroughs in London and with that come problems of lower educational attainment and violence among young people.

“A point of the issue with gangs though is also about not hyping it. “A group on a street corner may be classed as a gang but they may just be a group of young people.”

To find out more about the charity, visit xlp.org.uk.