The demands come after 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa was stabbed to death on a bus on Woolwich Church Street on Tuesday, January 7.
No arrests have been made for the incident and the attacker is reportedly still on the run.
The tragedy occurred after a Year 12 pupil of Shooters Hill Sixth Form College in Woolwich was hospitalised following a stabbing on Prince Imperial Road on Monday, January 6.
The 18-year-old is said to be in a stable condition.
Woolwich Church Street on the morning of January 8
The two stabbings took place 1.2 miles apart from each other but police have confirmed that the incidents were unrelated.
Saqib Mushtaq, 27, is the manager of a cosmetics shop on Powis Street and said he often encounters crime in the town centre, such as theft.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “The young guys come and try to steal the stuff. That’s the main issue we have right now. Some students come, they try to steal, and then they run.”
Mr Mushtaq said he has seen less crime on Powis Street since the council began revitalising the area.
The town centre is currently undergoing a £25 million revamp, including updated paving and seating on Beresford Square and Powis Street.
Planning documents for the scheme said the new design aims to reduce crime in the area by reducing the opportunity for people to ‘hide weapons’.
The businessman said violence in the area has affected local businesses’ trade.
He said neighbours can feel too uneasy to visit the town centre, and he would like to see a greater police presence to discourage crime.
The manager added: “If the customers also feel unsafe, they don’t want to come in… Victims are running on the street, everyone is scared. That’s a big issue, stabbings.”
Crime data from the Met Police showed that the average number of knife crime offences per month in Greenwich borough had increased from 48 to 64 between 2021 and 2024.
Roda Keela, 30, has lived in the borough her whole life and grew up visiting Woolwich town centre, having gone to school nearby.
The resident said she also feels that efforts by the council to improve the town centre have helped to encourage greater visibility and slightly reduce crime.
However, she said she has noticed an increased level of violence in the area in the past year and she does not feel it is safe, especially for young people.
She said: “When I was younger, it’s not an area I would have come to while it was dark. After 5pm, I wouldn’t advise young people to be here because you’re easily targeted. You don’t even need to be involved for people to target you in Woolwich.”
Ms Keela said gang activity is prevalent in Woolwich, and it is upsetting to see violence among youths still occurring.
She said she would like to see pupils being taught about the consequences of breaking the law in school, claiming those who are committing crimes do not understand the gravity of their actions.
The mum said: “Woolwich is now becoming a pinpoint for young people to come for easy access to joining gangs… This is not what we want people to think or want people to see Woolwich as.”
She added: “I think we need to understand the law of the country we live in so you know what the consequences are when you face these actions.
“A lot of people go and do things and think it’s like getting in trouble in school. They don’t take it seriously.”
James Orpington, 25, has lived in Woolwich for two years.
The local said he was saddened to learn of the two incidents, which he had not been made aware of until today (Wednesday, January 8).
He said: “I am shocked because they’re young and it’s sad, but I’m also not surprised because it’s just the way of the world right now.”
Mr Orpington said he would like to see a greater number of activities available for young people in Woolwich by way of more football pitches and cheaper gym memberships. He said boredom is likely a reason young people commit crimes, though he generally feels safe walking around the town centre.
He said: “For me personally, safety hasn’t been a concern. The only reason is because I mind my business and I know where I’m going… I’m a bit oblivious to the outside, it’s probably for the best.”
A Greenwich Council spokesperson said: “It is a tragedy that another young life has been lost to knife crime, and we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the victim. The council will be working closely with the police to provide any assistance they need during their investigation.”
Superintendent Louise Sargent from the Met’s South East Command Unit said that officers from the local policing team regularly patrol Woolwich, and such patrols would increase in the coming weeks. She urged residents and business owners with concerns to stop patrolling officers and speak to them.
She said: “I understand and share the shock that the local community is feeling following recent violent incidents in Woolwich, including the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old boy. A team of experienced, specialist detectives continues to investigate the fatal stabbing and local officers will support them in any way possible to ensure whoever is responsible is identified and arrested.”
She added: “Local detectives investigating the stabbing of an 18-year-old man in Prince Imperial Road on Monday, January 6 are making progress and have made two arrests. The injured man remains in hospital in a stable condition. While it does not appear there is a link between these two incidents, this in no way lessens the impact on residents and the nervousness they may feel.”
The superintendent said the South East Command Unit regularly liaises with local schools and other Greenwich borough organisations to identify young people at risk of being criminally exploited.
She said the individuals are then offered diversions away from such a lifestyle.
The police have asked anyone with information about criminality to contact them by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.
They said any information received is factored into policing plans for the local area. Those with information relating to the incident on January 7 can call 101 with reference 3795/07JAN25 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
