A YouTube video that has had almost half a million views compares scenes in today’s Brixton to those portrayed in The Wire – the epic TV crime series set in Baltimore, USA, 20 years ago.
New Zealander Karl Rock, 43, who has more than three million followers on the video streaming platform, lives in India. He says Brixton is the worst place he has ever stayed and asks if it is the UK’s most dangerous neighbourhood.
He claimed not to know that “places like this even existed in England”.
Wandering around Brixton filming himself, he wonders why “there are always people talking to you round here”.
The incidents that appear to have inspired Karl Rock’s (real name Karl Rice) fears are a couple of people with obvious mental health issues, public pissing, and a peaceable man dressed as a Buddhist monk who he describes as a scammer.
He also saw open drug dealing, but says “ain’t no way I’m going to film that”.
YouTube, on our viewing, segued directly into an anti-immigration propaganda piece by controversial right-wing broadcaster GB News.
See for yourself: https://youtu.be/D3DKeYJC9A8
Agreed, this blog constantly wants to hark back to some alleged heyday. The world moves on, Brixton needs to be dragged along with it. Even leaving the tube you run the gauntlet of pissers, street sleepers, hot dog sellers and those who accost you verbally. Move on Brixton!
No idea what you are talking about. We don’t hark back anywhere. We have actively supported many campaigns to improve Brixton and banish anti-social behaviour.
Well, once you leave Brixton, as I have done recently after 15 years, and come back, you realise what a mess the place is. Zombiefied drug addicts everywhere, extreme mental health problems on every pavement and just a general lack of pride in the environment. Real shame. Brixton was starting to clean itself up but it’s actually degentrifying, which I’m sure you at the BrixtonBlog will love. Glad to see the back of the place.