British children have been receiving social media advertisements stab-proof vests for as little as £50 as knife crime in the UK increases.
Several videos online, aimed at young people in Britain and viewed thousands of times, have appeared on TikTok and Snapchat in the past few weeks selling body armour.
In the UK, there are no legal restrictions on selling, buying or owning stab-proof protection.
Although many anti-knife protestors say that videos like these are normalising knife crime.
In one video filmed in a car park at night, a man is wearing one of the stab vests and sitting in a pickup truck
TikTok
A social media account who have a store claiming they ship nationwide is believed to be based in Birmingham.
The account, which first posted on April 20, uploaded two videos advertising the product.
In one video filmed in a car park at night, a man, wearing one of the stab vests and sitting in a pickup truck, said: "Salam Alaikum my people. We say if you've got to get milk for your mum from the 'op block', get a stab-proof vest... you shouldn't have 'ops' anyway, but if you do, get a stab-proof."
The man, who appears to be in his late twenties, is dressed in a red coat and black and white keffiyeh - a traditional Middle Eastern headdress.
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A group of six men, most wearing balaclavas and ski masks are seen in the video
TikTok
Another seller, whose face is fully concealed, added: "£50 a vest, delivery to all over the UK. You heard my boy."
The term "op" is used as slang and means "a person on the opposing end" or an "enemy".
In the second video, filmed in Birmingham outside a KFC branch, a group of nine youths react an encounter in the streets.
The boy, who is approached by two other youths, is then seen sprinting away to a group of six men, most wearing balaclavas and ski masks, to get a stab vest before chasing after the two young men.
In the video, the young boy is approached by two other youths
TikTok
The onscreen caption reads: "Don't get caught lacking this summer", followed by a sun and knife emoji.
The trend comes following Axel Rudakubana was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 52 years for the murder of three girls in Southport in July 2024.
Adam Brooks, who is campaigning against knife crime, wrote in a GB News exclusive piece that the UK has a huge gang culture problem, especially in London.
He said: "Our streets are like war zones, yet our politicians do not understand the problem, so we need a harsh response from the police, stepping up stop and search and smashing the street gangs who are terrorising our communities."
