Key Points
- Violent confrontation involving at least six youths armed with machetes occurred on Kingsland High Street, Dalston, East London.
- Incident took place on a busy afternoon near Starbucks and popular fast-food outlets Popeyes and Wingstop.
- The fight involved youths chasing and ambushing each other with long blades.
- Bystanders, including women and children, witnessed the melee, with some screaming in fear.
- Motorists and moped riders sounded horns during the chaos.
- The Metropolitan Police have been approached for comment but no immediate official response was reported.
- Similar machete duel occurred earlier on High Street North, East Ham, involving two men dressed in black, witnessed by a crowd near a NatWest bank.
- This second incident involved a 14-second duelling video with no injuries but caused shock and fear among onlookers.
- Community members expressed concern about rising violent street incidents in East London.
- Recent gang-related machete violence also linked to tragic killings, including the murder of 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell in south-east London, highlighting the ongoing knife crime issue.
What Happened During the Machete Brawl on Kingsland High Street?
As reported by Anthony France of Yahoo News UK, the shocking scene unfolded on Wednesday afternoon outside a Starbucks on Kingsland High Street in Dalston. The melee involved at least six young men wielding machetes. One youth, dressed entirely in black and armed with two long blades, was ambushed from behind by another attacker who attempted to strike him with a machete but slipped and fell instead. Despite the fall, the assailant quickly recovered and, with an accomplice, chased their target down the street.
Witnesses described the atmosphere as chaotic, with women and girls screaming in fear. Vehicles and moped riders sounded their horns in response to the disturbance as rival groups scattered. One witness exclaimed, “F*** me! He’s dropping his Sami (samurai sword),” when one combatant dropped his weapon near the coffee shop and nearby Popeyes and Wingstop outlets. The Metropolitan Police have been contacted for comment regarding the incident but had not provided an immediate response.​
Where Did The Similar Machete Duel Take Place in East London?
On a related but separate occasion, The Sun’s journalist reported a violent machete duel between two men on High Street North, East Ham. The incident, witnessed by a crowd including families and children near a NatWest bank, occurred on October 14. Both men, clad in black and masked, engaged in a brief but intense fight with large blades amid pleas from bystanders for them to stop.
A passenger on a nearby bus captured the event on their phone, documenting the duel lasting about 14 seconds without any physical injury. Despite the lack of harm, the scenes of men wielding blades in broad daylight shocked the local community. Residents shared feelings of dismay and disbelief, with one saying,
“This is not the East Ham High Street I remember,”
and another likening it to “medieval sword fighting, London style.” The Sun contacted the Metropolitan Police for their statement on this event.​
How Are Local Communities Reacting to These Violent Incidents?
Local residents and witnesses expressed deep concern about rising violent confrontations involving machetes in East London’s public spaces. The communal shock was palpable, with some dubbing recent violent outbreaks as a regression to medieval-like street fighting. Onlookers questioned the broader societal issues behind such events, worrying about safety in areas traditionally known for family-friendly shopping and dining.
Lee Daniel, a local resident, told The Sun, “It feels like we’ve returned to medieval times.” Another observer asked rhetorically, “What is wrong with this country?” These sentiments reflect anxieties over youth violence and gang culture’s increasing influence in the area.​
How Does This Incident Connect to Broader Knife and Machete Crime in London?
These recent brawls come amid a backdrop of rising gang-related violence marked by the use of machetes and knives. One tragic and related case reported by the BBC involved the sentencing of two teenagers for the murder of 15-year-old Daejaun Campbell in south-east London. The killing, tied to gang conflicts, underscored the deadly consequences of the ongoing knife crime epidemic.
Daejaun’s mother, Jodie Taylor, voiced frustration and grief outside court, lamenting the lack of justice and the broader societal failures to protect young people from violent crime. Judge Sarah Munro KC acknowledged the devastating impact of the crime, highlighting how carrying knives had become common in some youth circles, stealing opportunities for young lives to escape violence.
Shalina Brown, speaking for Daejaun’s family, criticized political leaders for their perceived apathy amid these tragedies, calling for urgent reforms to protect innocent lives from knife and machete violence. The killings linked to street gangs continue to shock London communities and compel urgent calls for action.​
What Has the Police Response Been to These Violent Incidents?
The Metropolitan Police have been approached for comments on both the machete brawl in Dalston and the duel in East Ham. However, as of the latest reports, there has been no immediate official statement made public. The police continue investigations and are expected to address public concerns about safety amid these alarming cases of public violence.
Community leaders and local authorities are under pressure to increase preventative measures to tackle violent youth crime and restore safety to East London streets. Meanwhile, residents remain wary as such incidents have heightened anxiety around public spaces commonly frequented by families and shoppers.
