Gun-ban advocates in the United States would have you think that England is a crime-free fairytale country, now that most citizens are disarmed under restrictive gun-control laws. But that’s simply not the truth.
In crime hotspots of London like Hackney, Lambeth and Southwark, police chiefs say there are “more guns on the street,” fueling a “significant” increase in shootings and other violent crime. To battle the increase, the 50 officers involved in Operation Viper will aim to crack down on gun crime in six specific areas—with marksmen accompanying officers on traffic stops.
“Clearly in some areas there is a gang element to it, but that doesn’t account for all of it,” Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe told BBC.com. “The fact that we’re seeing it across the country in the big cities probably indicates that we’re talking about more supply (of guns).”
Could it be that violent criminals are simply ignoring the gun-control laws already on the books? Who woulda thunk it?!