The United Kingdom Government has launched a new campaign to tackle knife crime in parts of London, alongside plans to intensify police operations using metal detection technology, live facial recognition and additional patrols.
The campaign, tagged No Place for Knives, was launched on Monday, November 2, 2026, in Westminster and Croydon. It will feature advertisements across tube stations, bus stops and social media platforms, as well as a mural at Boxpark Croydon.
According to a statement by the Home Office, the campaign is aimed at discouraging knife-related offences in identified crime hotspots and informing residents about increased police activity.
The enforcement measures include improved metal detection operations, rapid-response electric bikes, additional foot patrols and live facial recognition technology. The campaign is also being piloted in Birmingham city centre.
The Home Office said the initiative was developed in partnership with the police and local authorities, with particular attention to people considered most at risk of committing knife-related offences.
It added that Westminster, Croydon and 16 other London boroughs had received more than £8.1 million through the government’s Knife Crime Concentrations Fund to support targeted interventions.
The funding covers policing operations as well as preventive measures, including youth outreach programmes and visible safety patrols in busy night-time entertainment areas.
The department reported that knife crime had declined by 11 per cent across the UK since the last General Election, while knife-related homicides fell by 25 per cent and knife-enabled robbery by 18 per cent.
In London, knife crime reportedly dropped by 14 per cent over the same period, with knife-related homicides decreasing by 34 per cent and knife-enabled robbery by 19 per cent.
Policing and Crime Minister Sarah Jones said residents of Westminster and Croydon deserved to feel safe in their communities, adding that the government was working with law enforcement agencies to target areas experiencing the greatest harm.
She said the campaign was intended to send a clear message that authorities would not tolerate violence that puts young people and communities at risk.
Metropolitan Police Commander Pete Stevens described knife crime as a source of devastating consequences for victims’ families and communities.
He said the police were directing resources towards individuals considered most likely to pose a threat, adding that knife-enabled crime across London fell by 14.9 per cent in the last financial year.
Stevens also disclosed that the number of people hospitalised following attacks involving sharp weapons had declined by 29 per cent over five years.
Meanwhile, Crimestoppers Director of Operations, Mick Duthie, urged members of the public with information about knife carrying and violence to report it anonymously, saying such information could help prevent attacks and protect young people.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ben Kinsella Trust, Patrick Green, also welcomed the campaign, particularly its involvement of young people in the development process.
He said young people understood the pressures and misconceptions that could encourage knife carrying, adding that incorporating their experiences could help promote safer choices and prevent violence.
The campaign forms part of the UK government’s broader plan to halve knife crime within a decade through stronger enforcement, prevention and early intervention.
