Idris Elba calls for immediate ban on machetes and ‘zombie’ knives in the UK

The acclaimed actor Idris Elba, renowned for his roles in “Luther” and “The Wire,” has played a pivotal role in launching the “Don’t Stop Your Future” campaign, advocating for a ban on machetes and serrated “zombie” knives in the UK to combat knife crime among young people. Elba, a London-born star, joined protesters from the campaign outside Parliament, standing beside an art installation in Parliament Square featuring clothes and shoes symbolizing individuals who fell victim to knife-related incidents.

In the UK, where stringent gun-control laws are in place, approximately four in 10 homicides involve knives or sharp instruments, raising specific concerns about knife crime, especially among young individuals in urban areas. In 2023, London witnessed the tragic deaths of 21 teenagers, with 18 of them succumbing to fatal stabbings.

Expressing his concern, Elba emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue: “I can’t stay silent as more young lives are lost to these brutal and heartless crimes. As school returns, too many young people will not be joining their classmates, and too many grieving families have lost a young person they love in recent years.”

Despite the government’s announcement in August 2023 regarding a ban on threatening-looking machetes and knives, the law is yet to receive approval from Parliament. Elba called for accountability from technology companies regarding the display of knife imagery on mobile phones, stating, “We should find a way to deter tech companies, advertising, to put that away.”

Responding to concerns, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman, Max Blain, acknowledged that both knife crime and hospital admissions for stabbings had decreased compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019-2020. However, he emphasized the ongoing devastation caused by knife crime and expressed a commitment to further action. Blain welcomed the advocacy of figures like Idris Elba in spotlighting this crucial issue.