Inside the secret Instagram groups fuelling gang violence and murder on the streets of London

Young men pose with weapons, issue threats and gossip about who has been stabbed or shot
Young men pose with weapons, issue threats and gossip about who has been stabbed or shot

A violent new music genre and the trend of filming gang fights in fried chicken shops are contributing to a wave of maiming and murder among teenagers, fuelled by rumour, gossip and threats on social media.

Inside the Instagram pages which keep the youths involved in gang culture up-to-date with all the latest gossip, photographs of local notorious “celebrities” brandishing their weapons and money are juxtaposed with jokes about teachers at school.

These private pages have tens of thousands of followers, and warn “no soft guys”, promising explicit content. Social media, including Instagram, the photograph sharing website, as well as videos on YouTube and messages on Snapchat, the mobile phone...

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