Video has captured the moment a gang of masked teenagers attack each other with machetes in a family park.
The violence unfolded at Burgess Park in Camberwell, south east London, yesterday lunchtime – with teenagers seen trying to stab one another in broad daylight.
The scene was yet another display of shocking violence in the capital, which has seen crime figures soar since Sir Sadiq Khan became its Labour mayor in 2016, despite his boasts that the capital is a ‘safe city’.
In the footage filmed at about 12.30pm, a teenager tries to stab and slash another as an onlooker screams ‘stab him.’
A third masked boy then restrains one of their opponents on the floor for several seconds, allowing a knifeman to try and stab him repeatedly.
A bystander then steps in forcing the two attackers to run away, while the teenager who was wrestled to the floor gets onto a scooter and rides off.
The scene was filmed by terrified locals, and later posted on social media with the caption: ‘This is London.’
It came just one day after a horde of hooded youths with balaclavas descended on a JD Sports shop on Ilford High Road in East London, grabbing armfuls of clothes.
Footage on Saturday captured the shoplifters spreading out across the store, before trying to make off with goods – before being tackled by young female staff members.
Video shared on social media showed three teens carrying machetes fighting in Burgess Park, Camberwell
One of the teens can be seen restraining a boy while a friend tries to stab him in broad daylight
on Saturday a horde of hooded youths with balaclavas descended on a JD Sports shop on Ilford High Road in London, grabbing armfuls of clothes
The Metropolitan Police said four teenagers have been arrested over the incident in Camberwell, one of whom had taken himself to hospital for treatment for his injuries.
A force spokesperson said: ‘Police were called at around 12.30pm on Sunday, May 17 to reports of an altercation in Burgess Park, Camberwell.
‘Officers attended and searched the area with the assistance of the police helicopter. Four boys, aged 16 and 17, were arrested on suspicion of offences including affray, causing grievous bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon.
‘Three boys were arrested near the scene, while a fourth was arrested later on Sunday evening. All four boys remain in police custody.
‘Two of the boys who were arrested were reported to have suffered injuries in the incident, which were not life-threatening or life-changing.
‘One, a 17-year-old boy, self-presented at hospital for treatment to wounds and was discharged later that afternoon, following which he was arrested at a property in Southwark.
‘The second boy, a 16-year-old, was taken to hospital by police and was later discharged.
‘The investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting CAD 3298/17MAY or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.’
The Mayor boasted in March that homicide rates were at their lowest since records began and pointed out that there had been a decline in 2025 in incidents of phone-snatching, for which the capital has become notorious in recent years.
However, a closer look at the data shows that a range of crimes, including theft from the person, sex offences, drugs and violent crime, have dramatically increased from when Sir Sadiq first came to power in 2016.
Theft from the person has increased by 140 per cent from 35,570 in 2016/17 to 85,465 in 2025/26. In 2024/25, the year Sir Sadiq was re-elected, it had even skyrocketed to 101,053.
Elsewhere, sexual offences have risen by 55 per cent from 17,491 in 2016/17 to 27,074 in 2025/26.
Drug offences have risen by 34 per cent from 40,652 in 2016/17 to 54,291 in 2025/26.
And violence against the person has soared by 51,086 incidents 27 per cent from 191,691 in 2016/17 to 242,777 in 2025/26.
