Deptford and Peckham Violence

Last Friday night/Saturday morning was not a good time on the streets of South East London:

'.... a man was left fighting for life following an assault on a train in south London. The 39-year-old from New Cross is in a critical condition in hospital after a fight broke out near Deptford station last Friday. British Transport Police officers were called to the station at around 11.55pm following reports of a disturbance on the 11.40pm Charing Cross to Dartford Southeastern trains service. Detective Superintendent Ashley Croft, the senior investigating officer, said: “Two groups of people were reported to have had an altercation on the train which then continued onto the platform at Deptford' (more on this story at This is London, 27 July 2009)

'Police are appealing for witnesses following a suspected gang attack that left three men knifed in Peckham. The attack also left one woman, 29, with head injuries after they were set on at Rye Lane before 4.45am Saturday morning. The men were all taken to a south London hospital where two remain in a stable condition. One man, 20, suffered multiple stab wounds to the torso, the second man, 17, was also knifed' (more at This is London, 26 July 2009).

We were in Peckham on Saturday and a large chunk of Rye Lane was taped off, via the instant folklore/rumour mill we heard variously that there had been a shooting and an accident.