Rise in UK knife attacks leads to a crackdown and stokes public anxiety
Knife crimes are on the rise in England and Wales, and a string of deadly attacks in recent years has stoked public anxiety and led to calls for the government to do more. The U.K.'s Office of National Statistics says police reported a year-on-year increase of 7% in knife-enabled crime in England and Wales in 2023. Such attacks rose 20% in London. Kitchen knife attacks were by far the most commonly used in such crimes, reflecting some of the difficulties of combatting knife crimes. But a new law will take effect in September banning the sale of machetes and closing a loophole that companies have exploited to get around the sale and possession of so-called zombie knives.