Man arrested after vehicle strikes hooded fighters brandishing blades in Regent’s Park street battle that left one stabbed
A car deliberately ploughed into a group of hooded men wielding knives during a violent street brawl outside London Central Mosque in Regent’s Park, leaving one man with stab wounds and sparking fresh concerns about the capital’s spiralling knife crime crisis.
Shocking footage captured the moment four men engaged in a vicious fight in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon, bringing traffic to a standstill as National Express coaches, London buses and motorists watched the chaos unfold on Park Road.
The dramatic incident, which occurred at 3:48pm on September 27, saw a black vehicle drive directly into the fighting group, knocking at least two individuals to the ground before they were slashed at again whilst sprawled on the tarmac.
Brazen Daylight Violence
Witnesses described scenes of horror as the men, some wearing hoods and brandishing what appeared to be knives, fought in the middle of the busy central London thoroughfare. The violence continued even after the car strike, with onlookers pleading desperately for the fighters to stop.
“It was absolutely terrifying,” said one witness who declined to be named. “These men were going at each other with knives right there in the street, in front of families and children. Then suddenly this car just drove straight into them.”
Video footage circulating on social media shows the men lunging at one another and throwing punches before the vehicle, described by witnesses as a black BMW, accelerated through lanes of stationary traffic directly into the group.
The fight brought two lanes of buses to a complete standstill in the busy area, which regularly sees heavy footfall from worshippers attending the mosque, tourists visiting nearby Regent’s Park, and local residents.
Police Response and Investigation
Metropolitan Police responded to multiple emergency calls reporting the large disturbance on Park Road, NW8. Officers discovered one man suffering from stab injuries, though authorities confirmed his wounds are not believed to be life-changing or life-threatening.
A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of affray and remains in custody as inquiries continue. Police are appealing for witnesses and have urged anyone with information to contact them on 101, quoting reference 01/8021115/25.
“Met Police received multiple reports of a large disturbance on Park Road, NW8, at around 15:48 on Saturday, September 27,” a Metropolitan Police spokesman stated. “A group of men were witnessed fighting in the road before being involved in a collision with a single vehicle.”
The spokesman added that officers are treating the incident seriously and conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding both the fight and the vehicle collision.
Capital’s Knife Crime Epidemic
The violent incident outside one of London’s most prominent religious buildings has reignited fierce debate about the capital’s knife crime crisis, which has seen offences surge dramatically in recent years despite political promises to tackle the problem.
Office for National Statistics data reveals knife-related offences in London rose to approximately 15,016 in 2023/24, compared with 12,786 the previous year—the highest number since 2019/20 when 15,928 offences were recorded.
The capital now accounts for nearly a third of all knife crime nationwide, with a nine per cent increase last year whilst the national rate dropped by one per cent. Between 2016 and 2023, knife crime rose 54 per cent in London, from 9,086 incidents to 14,000.
“This is what lawless London looks like under Sadiq Khan,” said Reform UK’s Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham, who recently confronted the mayor about crime levels. “Knife crime is up 60 per cent over the past two years, and he doesn’t care.”
Political Fallout Intensifies
The timing of the incident proves particularly damaging for Mayor Sadiq Khan, who just last month claimed knife crime had dropped 19 per cent between April and June this year compared with the same period in 2024.
However, critics point to longer-term trends showing knife offences have risen 86 per cent in the capital over the past decade, with a 58 per cent surge in the three years between 2021 and 2024 alone.
Westminster City Councillor Cunningham, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK in June, confronted Khan at the end of July about the escalating violence. She accused the mayor of prioritising “micro-aggressions” and penalising motorists whilst “totally ignoring policing.”
Criminals operate with impunity across the city,” Cunningham told GB News. “I saw a thief leaving a shop with ten steaks in his hands just two days ago. The manager told me it happens every half an hour.”
Mosque Community Shaken
The London Central Mosque, also known as Regent’s Park Mosque, serves thousands of worshippers and stands as one of Britain’s most significant Islamic institutions. The violent scenes outside its gates have left the community deeply disturbed.
The incident follows a separate knife attack inside the mosque in June 2025, when a worshipper was stabbed in the neck during prayer time. That attack, which occurred during the call to prayer, saw the victim survive despite serious injuries.
Community leaders have expressed growing concern about safety in the area, with many calling for increased police presence and more robust measures to combat knife crime.
Mayor’s Office Responds
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London defended Khan’s record, stating: “Nothing is more important to the Mayor than keeping Londoners safe and he is determined to continue leading from the front to build a safer London for all.”
The spokesperson highlighted that “homicides, gun crime with lethal barrel discharges, knife crime with injury and burglary are all down since 2016 and last year teen murders were the lowest they’ve been in over a decade.”
They added that Khan’s “record £1.16bn funding has secured 935 police officers” and emphasised efforts to increase high-visibility policing in hotspot areas.
However, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley recently acknowledged the force was “getting smaller but more capable” whilst facing a £260 million funding gap. The Met has proposed closing almost half of police station front counters in London to save £7 million.
Growing Public Fear
The brazen nature of Saturday’s violence—occurring in broad daylight on a busy street—has heightened public anxiety about safety in the capital. Social media users expressed shock at the footage, with many questioning how such violence could unfold so openly.
“London’s streets have become a war zone,” posted one Twitter user. “Fighting with knives in broad daylight, cars being used as weapons—this isn’t the London I grew up in.”
The incident comes as new data reveals knife crime committed by children resulted in over 3,200 cautions or sentences in the year ending March 2024. Though this represents a six per cent decrease from the previous year, it remains 20 per cent higher than a decade ago.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has challenged Khan to a public debate on London crime, stating the capital has become “lawless under his watch.” Khan’s office dismissed the invitation as a “political stunt,” saying the mayor was “too busy working for Londoners to get crime down.
Calls for Action
As the investigation continues, pressure mounts on authorities to address what many see as an out-of-control violence epidemic. The use of a vehicle as a weapon in Saturday’s incident adds a disturbing dimension to an already serious situation.
Police have increased patrols in the area and are reviewing CCTV footage to identify all those involved in the brawl. Crimestoppers has also appealed for anonymous tips about the incident.
The violent scenes outside London Central Mosque serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing the capital. With knife crime figures continuing to climb and public confidence wavering, Saturday’s shocking incident may prove a watershed moment in demands for more effective action against London’s knife crime crisis.
As one bystander who witnessed the violence observed: “If this can happen here, in broad daylight, right outside a mosque with buses and families around, then nowhere in London is safe anymore.”
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