Residents call a South London crime meeting a “disaster,” criticizing its format, while MP Coyle defends it.
Coyle defended the event, saying it was clearly advertised. He criticized “shouty men” trying to change things. The event was at Dockland Settlements center, and letters invited people to a joint session with police. Residents could discuss crime concerns.
Residents expected a public meeting about crime to hear from Coyle and the police. Instead, they got one-on-one meetings, and they met with officers and their local MP.
Rotherhithe resident Mairéad Temple called it a waste of time. She saw the event advertised on Facebook, but the letter didn’t mention one-on-one meetings. Temple wanted updates on phone theft and crime, but spent money to park and got no crime info.
Steve Cornish, a resident and activist in Rotherhithe, said the queue was like a nightclub line. He stayed for about an hour and saw 35 “angry” people in the foyer. They had to explain why they wanted to see Coyle.
Cornish called the session a “disaster.” He said people want a public crime meeting where residents want statistics and to share stories.
Another resident was disappointed by the setup, as they thought it would be a public meeting. Residents had the same expectation about the meeting’s format, and if they knew it was a surgery, they wouldn’t have come.
Coyle said the event was an advice session where people met with police and him. He said everyone was seen in the given time.
He said police organized the session, and he just joined them. Coyle invited more people from nearby streets, and some people were happy it was private as they discussed personal matters.
Coyle said two men tried to disrupt things and wanted to change the format. Coyle defended regular folks wanting private chats.
The Met Police held a community drop-in session where they talked about local crime concerns. Officers advised people on issues, and antisocial behavior was one topic they addressed.