 The Metropolitan Police has joined in collaboration with Streatham born Internet sensation, author and comedian Humza Arshad to visit London schools, engaging students to raise awareness of the effects that can be exploited and used to draw vulnerable people towards acts of violence.
Police Officers from the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command’s Local Operations team, together with Humza, will visit 16 schools across eight London boroughs to present and engage with pupils, aged 14 - 18 years’ old. The presentations outline a hard-hitting and thought provoking 12-minute film titled “HATE”. The film was developed in collaboration with Humza, the Metropolitan Police, and partners in YouTube with the final cut having been directed by, and starring Humza, who is known for his ‘Diary of a Badman’ series. “HATE” aims to address the themes of intolerance, gang violence, knife crime, acid attacks, gun crime and radicalisation and extremism in all its forms. Encompassing a broad spectrum of violent crimes and the consequences that come with it, currently affecting our communities. Following the film, Police Officers engage the audience to facilitate a discussion around the effects that “HATE” can have whilst also developing and raising awareness of the signs that a close friend or loved one may be being coerced into joining a gang or being radicalised by an extremist. Once these signs are identified then the appropriate signposting to support and guidance that is available can be discussed and shared in order to support understanding of those issues. Humza will also speak about his own life experiences, touching upon his own experience having a lost a friend to a knife attack in 2019, why he chose to work in partnership with the Police in developing this powerful and emotive film. After follows an opportunity for the students to engage both Humza and the Police in a Q&A session. Humza’s video will be uploaded on 10th February and made available on YouTube who have endorsed the product and have also invested in its production. A private link to HATE can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/385013632/b167e1572f Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan, Metropolitan Police, said: “Whilst the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command is absolutely committed to tackling terrorism in all its forms we must also address the potential causes to a whole host of violent crimes.” “These presentations at schools are vital in supporting young people of an impressionable age to set their minds against the negative impact of hate and violence. This also reduces the impact of insidious individuals who would draw them into gangs, knife crime, intolerance, extremism and possibly terrorism. “Comedian Humza is incredibly popular online and influential with today’s youth and through working together we can ensure young people are less susceptible to being drawn into a life of violence.” “If you are worried about someone at risk of being groomed towards gangs, knife crime or radicalisation. Call your local police on 101.” Humza Arshad said: “I don’t think I’ve lived in such a divisive and dangerous time as what we’ve seen over the past year. From the mosque attacks in New Zealand to losing a friend to a knife attack a few weeks later, I’ve been affected by senseless violence. I’m pleased to partner again with the Police to address these topics head on with the same people that are most affected – young people. We’ve got work to do.” ...ENDS...
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