Is the area around Whitechapel and Mile End safe?

I'll be studying at QM in September, and although the area around that looks a little run down, I didn't really mind. However, I heard some bad things about the area, like people randomly getting stabbed while in that area. Is this true?

After watching this video, I'm kind of inclined to think that riots would take place there in the near future. The thought of being in the middle of all this really scares me, but I hope that the video is just a dramatization, and East London isn't as chaotic as everyone makes it out to be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1tEpjmFH9g

Ridiculous generalisation, the muslim group is hated by most muslims themselves in East London, and the same goes for the opposing group. I highly doubt anything like this would take place.

Why? So will they do anything to a person that accidentally looks at them? On a sidenote, is it safe to walk alone on the streets, especially at night?

I've never had any major problems, only really had guys shouting something stupid out their car windows or as they walk past. Nothing you don't get in any other area, and happens more when you're on your way on a night out with a bunch of girls. Nothing more serious than that.
I try not to walk anywhere on my own at night though, and if I have you then I just stay on the main road where there's always other people about. But thats just as a precaution really, I've never felt that unsafe here.
Don't bother other people and they won't bother you.

i lived in the East End for a while. if you avoid eye contact and take sensible precautions you should be fine.

Hey For example as a girl, if I want to go back from the club to my accommodation situated in the campus around 4 am and all alone, would that be too much of a problem also dangerous?

As I am used to getting back home around 4-5 am, if I do that usually at Queen Mary, would something happen to me at Mile End?

Would you suggest me to find a private accommodation in Zone 1 in my freshers year just for that reason?

Thanks a lot Because of the things I have heard, I am just too scared about the area to be honest...

... someone murdered Lee Rigby in broad day light. Anyone who is insane enough to do that will be willing to do anything else.

I've lived in East London most of my life and can assure you that there are many, many more normal people living here than the extremists depicted in this video.(most of whom don't even come from this area)
Just down the canal from Mile End is Limehouse, which has a mix of City/Canary Wharf workers, 'old' Eastenders (black, white , Asian et al!), a large peaceful muslim community and a sizeable gay community.
Ignore all this rubbish about keeping your head down, not walking around alone at night etc. Life's too short to spend looking over your shoulder. There's also a large population of students in the area who cause many more problems than the locals! (as is the same anywhere around a university campus) - which I am sure you will become part of.

London is extremely over populated and sometimes it can seem that it's not safe, But the same can be said of any major metropolitan area. Be sensible, chances are if you got into trouble it would be because you were drunk/obnoxious and in the wrong place at the wrong time - there are not random stabbings,radical protests or rioting on a regular basis and if you choose the right place for you to live you'll be fine.

Find a nice flat share with other students (make sure you find people who you can relate to) and after a few weeks you;ll wonder what you were ever worried about.

Good luck with the studies.

i was threatened with death by a gang of hoodlums as i walked along the canal. obviously they did not carry out their threat, but it was not a positive experience.

I've lived on two pretty bad London estates over my life so trust me I know bad areas when I see them and I honestly felt perfectly fine walking around Mile End, not to mention the area around the university itself is pretty nice so I personally won't be too concerned. That said this was only a couple of times while I was visiting the uni for open days/offer holder events, plus the fact that I've been around worse may distort my opinion a bit.

The truth is there are dodgy areas all over London, it's just something you have to deal with if you live in one of the world's busiest cities. I don't think Mile End is anywhere near as bad as people make it out to be but from someone outside London I suppose it would be different.

Why? Did you do something to offend them? Where did it happen? Was it close to Queen Mary itself? More importantly, were they students of the uni??

i did nothing at all to offend them, apart from existing on "their" "territory"
this was in Stepney ? a gang of white thugs. i did not stop to ask them if their educational status...

I certainly hope you are right. I mean someone murdered Lee Rigby in broad day light. Anyone who is insane enough to do that will be willing to do anything else.

And a muslim iraqi family got murdered in the french alps whats your point