Frontline
The consequence of collapsed trust has meant many viral crime myths especially about the capital have not been easily dispelled, despite the Met’s release of official data showing success in tackling serious violence such as homicides and teenage stabbings.
In 2025 there were 97 homicides, the lowest total since 2014 and a staggering drop of 55% from a peak in 2003. There have also been steep declines in firearm discharges and in the number of teenagers admitted to hospital with stab wounds.
According to the Met’s data, London’s homicide rate of 1.1 per 100,000 people is lower than New York, Berlin, Milan and Toronto, let alone American cities such as Los Angeles (5.6), Chicago (11.7) and Philadelphia (12.3).
Over a quarter of a century, the demography of London has shifted, and the fall in serious street violence has reflected societal change, shifts in organised crime, and the success of policing surveillance methods that the Government have plans to expand. Yet despite the fall in serious violence, a disconnect has emerged between perception and reality.
Public perception has been complicated by a rise in crimes like moped-enabled phone theft and shoplifting. Low level offences are crimes people are more likely to experience and watch on social media, where videos are amplified by bots alongside misinformation.
As serious violent crime fell in the period between 2003 to 2025, the number of social media posts portraying London as dangerous increased by 26,900% on Reddit. Research from King’s College London, shared exclusively with Channel 4 News, shows these posts rose from 874 in 2008 to nearly 236,000 in 2025. This coordinated misinformation campaign has significantly shaped perceptions of crime in the capital, is often racially motivated, and has helped propel far-right talking points, even as official data shows progress over time.
Many trends in serious violence, such as shootings, can be attributed to long-term policy shifts. However, organised crime groups are also adapting their methods.
