On Friday 11th April 2025, MP Liam Byrne visited the Community Plaza to meet UK Goodwill Youth & Community Ambassador and the Founder of Community Plaza CIC, Mohammed Zafran known as Zaf to talk about why knife crime is on a rise and why are more and more youths turning to crime.
Zaf who is the Chair of West Midlands Crimestoppers told Liam that,” the youths are frustrated for many reasons such as lack of employment and even if they get interviews, a lot of them get turned down because of lack of experience. Unfortunately these rejections and pressure from home that they are wasting their life when other young people from other families are in good jobs then the mind games kick in and they take the easy route engaging with friends who will direct them to criminal activities and drill it in their heads that it’s a way of making quick money and your family will stop questioning you because your bringing an income at home.”
MP Liam Byrne showed a lot of concern and empathy and asked Zaf how we can work together to reduce knife crime amongst youths on a national scale and showed his desire to work with Zaf at the Community Plaza which is a hub in Bordesley Green with multi sport and workshops which engages more than 1200 youths a week in hope of steering them away from knife crime and drug activities. Zaf who has changed over 45,000 young lives since the murder of his 24 year old brother in law and won over 45 National Honours including the Queens Honour and the Pride Of Birmingham Award. Zaf was recently praised by the West Midlands Police team, West Midlands Police Crime and Commissioner Simon Foster and MP Liam Byrne for stopping a huge brawl in Bordesley Green after a 16 year old Romanian was stabbed and more than 180 Romanians gathered around Pretoria Road to take revenge but Zaf intervened and made it into a peaceful protest.
