Finsbury Park Metropolitan Police officers failed to attend a scheduled public meeting despite promises that more police will be assigned to the area.
The missed antisocial behaviour surgery was due to take place at Nag’s Head Market on 18 October and was one of many plans announced by the Finsbury Park Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 31 August. The Met Police were approached about the incident but declined to comment.
Maldek Taheri, owner of nearby restaurant Baban’s Naan, said he has seen less police presence in recent months. Four or five months ago, he used to see police vans patrolling every day in his area. “But now, since two months ago or couple of months ago, I didn’t see any van.”
Six town centres with some of the highest numbers of thefts and robberies across London, including Finsbury Park, were due to receive a total of 90 new officers, according to a 31 July Met Police press release. However, it is unclear whether these officers have arrived in Finsbury Park as the Met have declined to comment.
This comes at a time when other Met services are being cut, such as the closing of 10 front counters in police stations around London.
The Police have more events scheduled in Finsbury Park for residents to raise their concerns and complaints about the police presence in the neighbourhood, such as Cuppa with a Copper and a Met Engage meeting, both on 29 October.
Journalist & MA Newspaper Journalism candidate at City, St George’s University of London. After six years in Washington, D.C., I bring a U.S. regional perspective to national and international reporting. My writing spans politics, policy, global affairs, and social issues. I’m passionate about telling stories that cross borders and lift community voices that are often underrepresented in the global conversation.