Teenage Girls AND Baby Targeted in West London Triple Shooting

Three teenage girls last night became victims of a drive-by shooting in Queen’s Park, West London. It has emerged today that one of the girls; an 18-year-old named locally as Jessica Crichlow, had been holding her eleven-month-old son at the time of the attack.

The shootings – said locally to have been a direct by-product of ongoing estate rivalries – took place at approximately 1915 hours yesterday evening on John Fearon Walk, Mozart Estate, Queen’s Park.

The shot victims – aged 17, 18 and 19, and understood to be friends – were immediately rushed to hospital where they received treatment for non-life threatening injuries. The baby escaped unhurt, police revealed earlier today.

Today at a press conference concerning the attempted murder, Detective Mick Foote said that he did not believe that the three females were the attempted targets. According to the detective, the group of girls had been interacting with a larger group of boys on John Fearon Walk, when an apparently lonesome entered and fired a single bullet at the crowd.

"What we do know is that the guys in the large group were aware that something was going to happen, because they decided to run off just before the shot was fired".

Foote elaborated that the gunman, then joined three others on bikes, one of whom was holding a holdall, and the rival gang made an escape in the direction of Marylebone Road. All four men are said to have been wearing dark clothing.

Detectives believe that the teenagers were all struck by the same single bullet during the suspected drive-by shooting. The 17-year-old has since been discharged early this morning, while the other two remain hospitalised in a stable condition.

Local residents last night expressed their stunned reactions to the horrific events.

“I was shocked when someone told me it was her”, a resident referred to one of the victims. “I went over to her’s and her mum was crying and said she’s stable; she was shot in the chest, and her friend in the back of the head”, the neighbour continued.

“The girl that I know has nothing to do with the gangs; she just happens to live on the estate. You know, she has good parents, is hardworking; she worked locally, went to college; I’ve never even seen her in the streets to be honest”.

The neighbour – who declined to reveal his name – shed light on the local gang tensions which culminated in the night’s tragic events.

“From what I know, it’s been going on for a while; rival gangs from the Mozart estate and South Kilburn estate just a couple of hundred yards down the road, and what they do is just tit-for-tat basically.

“It’s been going on for a few years now. The guys from here will probably do the same… They do YouTube videos taunting each other, and Facebook and Twitter, even. Sometimes you know something’s going to happen ‘cause there’s big groups during the day, and word’s going round”.

Commenting on notorious gang tensions in the area, the residents made a distinction between gang and estate ‘warfare’ attributing the night’s ordeal to the latter.

“I think it’s just they’ll come to the estate, they’ll recognise faces, certain demographics that fit the bill and that’s it; they’ll get shot unfortunately… It’s rival estates rather than gangs”, he insists before revealing senseless episodes of similar shootouts that had preceded last night.

“This is like the third time I know… They’ll take a couple of shots and run off. It’s almost like a waterfight!” he whisks before concluding:

“Young men with nothing to do; just trying to give themselves something to feel big about”.

The resident’s notion is in line with that of Labour MP Karen Buck who visited the scene late last night, claiming that these incidents would only escalate with governments cuts to young people’s services. The local MP for Westminster North, home to the Mozart Estate, was echoed by long-standing Westminster resident Aiden who originally came to the ward a quarter-of-a-century ago. Whilst insisting that the area had improved in his time in the area, he noted:

“There’s not much to say really, but if we get the kids off the street; keep them occupied. Boredom can lead to trouble so get the youngsters off the streets”, the Queen’s Park resident said.

Asking him what could have galvanised the local tensions, Aiden asserted:

“Maybe something trivial I’m sure probably started it up. Something simple, then it’s just escalated hasn’t it? The youngsters don’t realise it takes a split second to pull a trigger and somebody can die as a result of it… Especially the fact that you’ve got three kids shot today”.

Mohammad – a resident on the Mozart estate where the shootings took place – meanwhile took a different view.

“We don’t have the right to tell our children to stay home. The freedom the government give young people they use to their full advantage”, he said, before moving to the lenient punishments young people faced when caught.

“They know it’s one night down the station, then the next they’re free”.

The case of attempted murder continues to be investigated by the Operation Trident wing of the Metropolitan Police, who deal with gun crime in the black community. No arrests have been made thus far.

Today, at the press conference, Detective Foote said confidently:

“There are I’m sure, other witnesses. It was seven o’clock in the evening. There were people walking around at the time”.

Potential witnesses or anyone with information relating to the shooting, are urged to call the Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Olympians - Past, Present & Future - get set for 2012 at Lloyds' Westfield Launch

Olympic champion Collin Jackson was amongst the list of big names yesterday at the launch of Westfield, Stratford City.

Tens of thousands flooded the doors at 8am, as the doors to the East London complex were opened. Many are said to have queued for periods as extensive as twenty hours to take advantage of opening day offers in some 300 stores.

The shopping centre which looks to replicate the success of its sister mall in White City was described by the mayor as “one of the most important legacies of the 2012 Olympics”.

Meanwhile, the Olympics looked to have come early for ecstatic shoppers got the chance to have their photo taken with the Olympic torch, in the newly-opened Lloyds TSB. Lloyd’s TSB is an official partner of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games.

At midday, Collin Jackson opened the mall’s branch bank to excited shoppers that immediately formed queues for photos with the former Olympian.

At the launch, Jackson, a silver Olympic medallist himself, cemented his support for the high street bank’s Local Heroes scheme. The scheme launched in 2008, sees Lloyds TSB provide financial support to hundreds of emerging athletes across the UK, to help cover essential costs like training and necessary sports equipment.

The athlete-turned-presenter told me:

“It’s really important for us to get involved with the community and the Olympics experience, and really get into the heart of the community. Lloyds TSB are lucky enough that they are in it…So it’s a good initiative for us to get involved and I think the more information we can drum up; the more enthusiasm we can drum about the Olympic games is gonna be better for everyone!”

Some of the promising talents were on hand at the grand opening to talk about how the scheme had benefited them:

“I’ve been on the scheme since 2008 when it started" Local Hero Twinelle Hopeson imparted. "They sponsor us by giving us a grant each year of £1000 which goes towards physiotherapy, travelling costs and things like that. Also, we get to do coverage things, for example I’ve been to the Olympic stadium; been filmed for the BBC, and it’s all through Lloyd’s TSB”, the 100m sprinter from Croydon revealed.

Tyler Saunders, a wheelchair basketball athlete from Edgware echoed similar contentment:

“As a young person doing a sport there’s a lot of costs involved and for Lloyds TSB to give you a grant towards it, it makes life that bit easier. You can just focus on the sport instead of trying to raise money in order to do the sport”

He continued: “It’s a really good initiative. Lloyds are one of the main sponsors of the Olympics; Instead of just saying ‘yeah, we’re a partner’; they’re actually putting money into emerging athletes, so come 2016 there’s actually going to be a pool of young British athletes coming through due to Lloyds TSB”.

Whilst they acknowledge the 2012 games are too imminent to expect glory, both young heroes fervently anticipate medals at Rio 2016.

On Saturday, Tyler and Twinelle will return to Lloyd’s TSB Westfield with other fellow athletes, for an event further publicising the Olympics and Local Heroes Scheme.

Thousands Mourn Tottenham Police Shooting Victim Mark Duggan

More than 1000 people descended on the streets of Wood Green yesterday (Friday) to pay their final respects to Mark Duggan.

The funeral service for Duggan - who's shooting dead by police sparked last month's civil unrest - took place at the New Testament Church Of God, Wood Green, just two miles from where his life was taken on August 4.

In an emotionally-fuelled service, relatives and close friends paid tribute as they described Duggan as a “highly-spirited, humorous, caring and loving” individual who took an immense pride in his family.

A selection of Biblical readings and musical tributes came from Mark Duggan’s immediate and extended family network. Too distraught to speak, Semone Wilson – Duggan’s partner of 14 years - conveyed her own heartfelt memories of her first ‘true love’ in a tribute read out by her sister.

In an equally touching obituary, cousin Donna Martin affectionately recalled how Duggan boasted a smile “that used to take over the whole of his face!” The cousin also elaborated on how Duggan had come to be a respected role model for younger people in the community talking to them about ‘life’. ”He was seen as a peacemaker by many, and saw it as his role to prevent unnecessary conflict”, Ms Martin recollected. She concluded with speaking about Duggan’s final days up until the tragic circumstances which led to her cousin’s untimely demise.

Speaking to a family friend and Tottenham resident after the service, Kareen Vere vented her anger at the police, and their failures surrounding Duggan’s death in their custody.

“It grieves me that someone so young, a father to four children; his life is just ended just like that… Nobody is supposed to die at the hands of police for no reason. And the lying, and trying to cover their tracks and discredit the family is just not on”.

Of the memorial, Ms Vere said; “There was a lot of love and respect today. I hope we don’t just go home and tomorrow forget about it. I hope we get active in the community, and follow the campaigns that have started in order to get justice for the family… I’m not gonna wait till it’s my son to help”.

Kareen Vere was echoed by Douglas Williams of local campaign group ‘Find Your Voice’ The group which sets about to empower the community , has since Duggan’s death, campaigned for justice for the 29-year-old.

“Where we go from here is that as a community we must get justice”, Williams asserted. “We have to move by any means necessary to bring justice to Mark… That means we have to begin with our MPs; councillors; they all have to be held accountable. There will come a time when we have a day of action when we say ‘ On This particular day; Nobody will work on This particular thing’. Then, they can start to take to take us seriously”.

With reference to the circumstances of Duggan’s death, Williams noted;

“The reason why people can do things to you is because they know they can get away with it… As a community we just can’t take this kind of thing lying down”, Williams vehemently continued, before highlighting the fact yet another two men had died in police custody since Duggan on August 4^th.

Marcia Rigg, - whose brother Sean Rigg died in Brixton police custody in August 2008 explained why it was so important she attend Mark Duggan’s funeral.

“I’m here for Mark Duggan, to support the families of victims of deaths in police custody. When people disperse after the funerals it’s the families left”, Ms Rigg opened up, before turning her attention to the police.

“How can they sleep at night? How can they close their eyes? It’s blatant murder and they feel they’re allowed to get away with it because they’re wearing the Queen’s uniform. We have to put a stop to that.”, Ms Rigg vowed.

“Since 1969 there has been over 400 deaths [in police custody] and no officer has ever been made accountable for any of these. We need to bring this to the media!

“The system too needs to be put to account… The government allows the police to get away with murder, and if the government was to highlight the situation and show the police they cannot do this, maybe they will think twice before they kill somebody”, Ms Rigg concluded.

Mark Duggan was shot dead by police marksmen on August 4th, after police intercepted the minicab he was travelling in. The police's failure to explain why Duggan was shot, sparked the Tottenham riots that escalated in to nationwide unrest last month.

The Duggan family meanwhile continue to await answers as the Independent Complaints Commission (IPCC) continue to investigate the events of that August evening.

Duggan family friend Kareen Vere suggests there to be only one way to vindicate the Met at this stage: “I suggest that if the police want to have better relations with the community, then they need to be real, they need to tell the truth, and they need to have honour.”

Amy Has Created A Legacy, say Winehouse fans

Merely ten days after her tragic death last weekend, Amy Winehouse is immortalised with a return to the top of the charts, while her Camden Square home has become a shrine to the soul sensation.

Winehouse’s groundbreaking Back to Black this week sees a return to the no.1 album chart position more than four years since it held that spot in 2007. According to HMV, so phenomenal was last week’s demand for the late singer’s Grammy-winning CD, the music stockist had completely sold out by Thursday.

Meanwhile, a week-and-a-half after her passing, more and more fans continue to gather outside the singer’s North London home, Camden, leaving heartfelt floral displays, and various other tributes for Winehouse.

Fans from her local area of Camden, to as far afield as Canada, have been coming to pay their final respects.

“I was at my aunt’s house. My aunt turned on the TV to BBC News and across the screen it said that Amy Winehouse was dead”, Alicia Baird, a Canadian fan visiting London, tells how she learnt the bad news.

“I was shocked… Even though I didn’t know where her home was exactly, I just thought I’ll go down to Camden, and ask the locals where she lives so at least I’ll know for myself it’s true”.

Alicia reveals becoming a fan in 2007 after seeing promotional content of Back to Black on Perez Hilton’s website. Instantly she was taken by Winehouse’s signature sound.

“Being from Toronto, Canada, we don’t really get a lot of British artists that we hear about, so it was good that I got to hear it on Perez. I loved her music, her voice and sound. I actually got the opportunity to see her in Toronto but I missed the opportunity, figuring I could see her another time. Now it’s like: ‘That’s not going to happen again’“, she whisks her head regretfully.

Another fan at Camden Square expresses sentimentality of when she too was seduced by Amy Winehouse’s soulful sound via Back to Black.

“Back to Black was the album that first established my connection with Amy. It’s one of those albums you can play to anyone. I played it to family who never knew anything about her and instantly they thought she was a genius”.

Fortunately for Evi J though, she did meet the songstress, not at concert; but bumping into her in the local Camden area.

“She was with her dad. I had a small chat with her… I said ‘I think you’re amazing and don’t let anyone tell you differently; just keep doing your music’. She was really lovely and said ‘thank you babe!’. I just thought you could see the child in her eyes the whole time, despite the public image”.

Alas, it was this ‘public image’ that afforded Amy Winehouse an undesirably turbulent reputation, whilst an insatiable media capitalised on the singer’s litany of drug affairs. Fans who gather at Camden Square ten days on though, resent even the possibility that Winehouse should be remembered for this.

“I hope that people do not glamorise the drink and drugs”, one Columbian fan visiting the square mutters.

“We all as human beings have our own demons and everyone has their own ways to fight them”, Georgina Kosky continues. “Some people succeed; some people do not succeed, and I don’t think we’re entitled to criticise her way of life because we were not in her shoes to know why she did what she did”.

Inevitably, the question of ‘who is to blame’ has gathered momentum since Amy Winehouse’s death.

“It seems as though she had a lot of support”, Evi J argues. “It looks like she couldn’t get herself out her rut. That’s how it seems to me, but who’s to know?”

Evi poses a very good question. The final interviewee I question at Camden Square though, thinks he may have inkling.

“I’m not surprised by her death; I’m more shocked by her sudden death”, Paul Mwaniki reflects solemnly. ”I personally feel she didn’t have enough support”.

Paul raises concerns on Winehouse’s final European tour in June, and how the shambolic Belgrade performance where she was booed offstage, contributed to the Rehab singer’s death. “If your biggest fans boo you, it doesn’t get lower than that... I feel that this was the beginning of the end”.

The London fan is not alone in his lack of surprise over Amy Winehouse’s premature demise. But was the Camden singer’s death - likely of a drug overdose - inevitable?

“About the drug abuse, I think where there’s a will there’s a way”, Paul says. Anyone can get away from drugs if there is a will to stop taking… But that all depends on the people you hang out with”.

Truth be told, much of Winehouse’s company was as ominous as the paraphernalia that led to her untimely demise. For one, the singer was perennially linked with rockstar Pete Doherty who is alleged to have supplied her with drugs.

That said, both elements – addictions and relationships – would play a considerable role in providing much of the content themes on Amy Winehouse’s five Grammy award–winning sophomore effort. Back to Black today features five songs in the top 40; including Rehab, which features autobiographical lyrics concerning the singer resisting medical help for her alcoholism.

And how better to honour our very own soul sensation than returning her to the fame and success that her music phenomenally reached over the course of just two albums? Meanwhile tributes keep coming to Camden Square with heartfelt messages such as “Your music nursed me thru hard times…” and, “At the touch of a button, you are alive again; music is immortality”.

Loyal fan Evi J puts hers simply: “She’s led the way for future artists, and to have had only two albums with such an impact; she’s created her own legacy”.

Indeed, truly will this extraordinary feat form an integral part of Amy Winehouse’s legacy. As well as for being the pioneer who delivered an elixir to the ‘stuffy’ and ‘tired’ jazz and soul genres; for being the forerunner who paved the way for Adele, Duffy, and a continuum of other British female experiments to surmount transatlantic fame; and most importantly; for being the British singer and songwriter, who revitalised the UK urban music scene; and its perception worldwide.

Perhaps summing Winehouse up best though, was my Columbian interviewee Georgina, who closed;

“Amy was totally different to most artists this side of the pond. She was a white woman from Jewish heritage, with a black voice, and a lot of soul in her voice”.

And this is yet further reason why Amy Winehouse has undoubtedly made a lasting impression on both British and global music scenes; to live on through fans throughout the world, for ages to come.

QPR Return to Queen's Park to Unveil Birthplace

QPR this weekend returned to their roots – namely Ilbert Street, Queen’s Park – to celebrate the club’s 125^th Anniversary.

QPR players and representatives – including legend Stan Bowles – joined Westminster’s Deputy Lord Mayor (Right) and event organisers CityWest Homes, to unveil a plaque honouring the club’s St Jude’s Church Hall birthplace.

1886 saw the amalgamation of two local amateur church teams – ‘Christchurch Rangers’, and ‘St Jude’s Institute’ – to form Queen’s Park Rangers (after the district home to most of the boys). Since then the West London side has gone from strength to strength, climbing their way to the top flight of English football.

Whilst the club has had a record fifteen different homes since – with its current being Loftus Road, Shepherd’s Bush, – 125 years on, the original, St Jude’s Hall Ilbert Street, is now immortalised thanks to Saturday’s plaque-unveiling.

Andy Evans (speaker, left), Chief Executive of QPR’s Community Trust, expressed his delight at the day’s outcome:

“Today’s a really good day; a really lovely warm community feeling at the event, and obviously from a club perspective, for QPR it’s a really proud historic day as well”.

Meanwhile, Darren Levy, Director of Customer Services for CityWest Homes (who teamed up with QPR to bring the event to fruition), echoed similar contentment:

"It’s taken probably a year’s worth of planning. The atmosphere’s fantastic and it’s great to have the deputy Lord Mayor here, and Stan Bowles from QPR.

“Most of the residents I’ve bumped into seem to be having a good time; lots of smiles which is great. The key thing is what we can build from here in terms of nurturing our relationship with Queen’s Park so they can continue to provide things for the kids in the area”.

The day was quintessentially a community celebration with a range of activities on offer. Neighbouring Queen’s Park Gardens hosted face-painting, funfair rides, bike maintenance, Zumba dancing, and a variety of community stalls. A DJ was also on hand to add music entertainment throughout.

QPR provided football coaching to youngsters; and the club kindly also brought their latest trophy with them to allow delighted fans a unique photo opportunity.

Speaking about some of the other community work Rangers do, Andy Evans, the R’s Community Trust CEO revealed:

“We operate across a number of London boroughs at the moment… We have an education department… a football development department … [W]e’ve also got a big social inclusion programme, for example, we deliver four different Kickz projects across different boroughs which purely targets 12-18 year olds during the evenings, giving them positive activities to take part in”.

On league promotion, Evans said great benefits could be extended to the community, with the club being granted access to the Premier League pot fund in the coming season.

As QPR gear up for Premier League action, one certainty that the R’s can put their confidence in is the enduring dedication of their fans. Lifelong Hoops fan Linda Heavey,

accompanied by her son Tristan, 5 (Right); demonstrated her family’s undying devotion to the club, since its inception:

"We’ve [my family] lived in this area for over a hundred years, and since QPR have been going my family have supported them. Cousins, mum, dad… - my father was a steward at QPR for nearly 12 years, - they’ve all got season tickets to Queen’s Park Rangers and I am so happy they have gone up!”

Ms Heavey concluded, “I am so happy to be here today for Queen’s Park Rangers, and the plaque on that wall is fantastic. It makes me proud to be a supporter and to live in this area”.

BRITISH LIBRARY LECTURE, TONIGHT: Legacies of the Emancipations of The Americas

TONIGHT'S EVENT (June 14) held at The British Library promises to explore the long-term legacies of the processes of emancipation of enslaved African populations that began in the later 18th century in different parts of the Americas.

As alluded to by the BL, the broad legacies of emancipation throughout the Americas appear consistent: black people by and large occupy inferior positions in socio-economic terms and in terms of the roles they have historically been assigned. The repercussions of this remain evident in the day-to-day American life and history, with events such as hurricane Katrina exposing these cracks of inequality.

Do such important developments such as the election of Barack Obama represent a turning point for black people across the region? Or will they do little to alter legacies entrenched by two centuries marked by the racialised exclusion and marginalisation of people of African ancestry in the post-colonial Americas?

Speakers include Robin Blackburn (Essex University), Richard Drayton (King’s College), Denise Ferreira da Silva (Queen Mary, University of London), and playwright and critic Bonnie Greer.

Cited largely from http://www.bl.uk/whatson/events/event121913.html, where tickets can also be pre-booked. Tickets £7.50 (£5 concessions)

Event will be held at The British Library Conference Centre - Main Auditorium, 96 Euston Road, LONDON, NW1 2DB. Nearest Rail: King’s Cross or Euston

"60P BURGERS, 30P DESSERTS!": HARD ROCK CAFE RETURNS TO '71 PRICES FOR FORTIETH BIRTHDAY

Today, Tuesday June 14 marks the 40th birthday of Hard Rock Café, and the café invites you to come and rock the day away with them. Hard Rock promises to turn the clock back to the seventies to celebrate, with all food sold at 1971 prices!

The brainchild of music-loving Americans Peter Morton and Isaac Tigrett, who envisaged a casual rock-themed restaurant; the first Hard Rock opened in London’s Park Lane, June 14^th, 1971. The ball would roll from there on with HRC developing into a chain of restaurants, hotels and even casinos across the five continents.

As the story goes, the ‘Rock’ phenomenon was immortalised when legend Eric Clapton jokingly offered his guitar to reserve a regular table. Forty years later, HRC London still houses Clapton's ‘Lead II Fender’, along with over 70,000 other guitars and other rock and roll memorabilia.

Four decades after a world famous rock icon graced the original Hard Rock with perhaps its most significant gesture to date; Hard Rock London remains as authentic as ever, drawing visitors and Londoners alike. The Cafe remains famed for attracting the biggest rock stars down for "jamming sessions". Remarkably, according to their website, you will find many of the original serving staff still work the floor today too, which must speak wonders of the Hard Rock environment!

So as Hard Rock Café celebrates its longevity, you are most warmly welcomed to check out and join in the fun that has led to the chain becoming such a global success.

“Burgers at 60p, Ribs at 80p and desserts from as little as 30p.. That's right even our menu is going back to the era of disco, flairs and flowers!”, the Hard Rock website states.

So what are you waiting for? Get down to Park Lane, grab yourself a cheap meal, immerse yourself in some infectious melodies, and Rock On!!

Hard Rock Cafe, 150 Old Park Lane, LONDON, W1K 1QZ. Nearest underground stations: Hyde Park Corner and Green Park.

Hard Rock restaurant opens at 11.30 AM, though due to 'Founders Day' may experience larger queues than per usual.

RSC PRESENTS 'AMERICAN TRADE': A Barrel of Jokes; Yet an Absence of Punch (lines)

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