Context
Kayden Moy, a 16-year-old from East Kilbride, was stabbed to death six weeks ago. Since his death, multiple videos and images of local youths posing with machetes have emerged on social media.
Question
Six weeks ago, Kayden Moy, a 16-year-old boy from East Kilbride in my constituency, was stabbed to death, leaving his family bereft and a community—in my community—in grief. Since Kayden’s tragic death, I have received multiple videos and images of local youths posing while wielding machetes in their own homes, but the police claim that they are powerless to take any action whatever. Does the Minister agree that much more needs to be done to stop the very real glamourisation of knife crime online, and to prevent social media from being a breeding ground for youth violence?
Answer from The Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention (Dame Diana Johnson)
May I first express my condolences to Kayden’s family and friends? That is just appalling to hear. My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the role that social media can play in glamourising these types of weapons. That is why it is so important that we have measures in the Crime and Policing Bill and the Online Safety Act 1923 to start to tackle that. As I say, it is absolutely appalling.
Not addressed: The Minister did not provide specific details on what measures are currently being taken or will be implemented to address social media glamourisation of knife crime.
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