While politicians and police search for solutions, football is trying to tackle the scourge of knife crime and youth violence.
Arsenal’s players will use their platform for activism in matches tomorrow by wearing shirts drained of the traditional red.
They’re hoping the message reaches and resonates with youngsters that no more blood should be shed and carrying a knife is never the right choice.
The trauma felt in southeast London this week provided a tragically timely reminder why the “No More Red” campaign is needed. Kelyan Bokassa, 14, was stabbed to death on a bus in Woolwich.
The Arsenal fan was the first teenager killed in London this year after 10 fatalities in 2023 – nine of whom were fatally stabbed.
It was the murder of 16-year-old Gunners’ fan Ben Kinsella in 2008 that led to the creation of an anti-knife crime charity in his memory, which now partners with the club and shirt sponsor Adidas.
All-white shirts will be worn in the biggest men’s FA Cup match of the third round when Arsenal host Manchester United.
For 18-year-old rising talent Myles Lewis-Skelly, it is about helping fellow youths and “making sure that they’re safe”.
“It’s just so important that we start to advocate,” he told Sky News.
“Arsenal live by their principles to help people and help people grow, help people stay together. And just this campaign, we really help people out.”
Ahead of the women’s FA Cup match against Bristol City, Alessia Russo visited a pitch near Arsenal’s stadium that the club’s backing to provide safe places to play football.
The England star wants communities to champion role models rather than being devastated by the knife tragedies that trouble her.
“It is scary and it’s a shame that things are still happening,” Russo told Sky News.
“I think sport has the power to change so much and we don’t even see the half of it. And this is one thing. It’s definitely a big issue, an important issue that we need to be tackling.
“To have places like this where it is safe and it is accessible, and it’s where people can feel happy and enjoy football.”
The hope is youngsters see there are paths other than violence – even without making it as a professional footballer.
Arsenal and their campaign partners are trying to offer solutions rather than suggesting a change of shirts for one match is the solution to the knife crime epidemic.
The Ben Kinsella Trust has logged a rise in teenage deaths since starting “No More Red” with Arsenal in 2022.
But surrounded by pictures of Ben Kinsella, trust CEO Patrick Green told Sky News: “I know it’s made a difference because in the time we’ve been working together with Arsenal and the other partners of No More Red, more young people have accessed our services, more people know about what we do.
“We’ve been able to keep more young people safe than ever before thanks to this campaign.”
South London club Charlton Athletic have been running the Street Violence Ruins Lives initiative since 2008 – yet the death of Kelyan Bokassa was not the only teen stabbing in the nearby Woolwich area in the first week of 2025.
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The message from the Ben Kinsella Trust is that “violence is not inevitable – it’s preventable”.
Mr Green is highlighting the importance of investing in youngsters, harnessing their talents and providing job opportunities.
“We know if you give people positive interventions they will thrive and do fantastic things,” he said.
“It also gives you the resilience and knowledge to know about gangs, grooming and gives you the strength to make good decisions.”
