The Reader: I want every council to have weapons bins

I am writing in response to your article “Man killed in Enfield ‘over car row’ in bloody weekend in London ”, on your website on Monday. It is sad to read that at least two of the four people who lost their lives over four days did so owing to knife crime. Families are being torn apart.

One measure that would help take weapons off the streets would be to make it a legal requirement for local authorities to have weapons bins. During the lockdown, I decided to petition the Government on this issue.

If local authorities had weapons bins in place, guns and knives could be easily handed in and disposed of safely. Weapons bins can also act as information points, so that young people can access help and advice on leaving gangs. The police, community leaders and politicians need to come together.
Stephen Perry

Dear Stephen
Weapons bins can help, but removing the desire to use knives is more important. Your letter arrived as Rashai Annang, who was 17 at the time, was being convicted of murder at Woolwich crown court for chasing 18-year-old McCaulay Junior Urugbezi-Edwards in Elephant and Castle last year and stabbing him repeatedly as he lay on the ground. Sustained efforts to address the sickness in young minds that causes such violence must be the priority.
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor

If ever there was proof of this Government’s approach to any and everything, it is to call on people to grass up the neighbours. Quite clearly, Johnson means to divide this country in the same way Trump has divided his. How can a government which happily breaks or bends the law — both personally and on an international level — expect the general public to respect its dictates.
Richard Robinson