STREET gangs are boasting of guns and killing rivals in chilling online posts - with fears their message is spreading bloody violence on London's streets.

With their faces covered, the gangs can be seen spitting threats - boasting "your boy get shot" - in disturbing videos, while brazen Twitter accounts openly brag about targets and "snitches".

9 In some of the disturbing videos, one young person can be seen wearing a skeleton mask Credit: YouTube

The threats online - including through the handle @SnitchSociety - can be revealed as police chiefs and ministers warn the violent videos are fuelling murder and crime on Britain's streets.

The online accounts such as @SnitchSociety boast about "exposing gangs", share photographs of serving prisoners, call out apparent snitches and threaten enemy gangs.

These posts and videos are so disturbing that Scotland Yard has made at least 42 requests in three years to remove certain clips from YouTube.

Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has warned that children are being "revved up" to murder by social media, saying: "It makes [violence] faster, it makes it harder for people to cool down. I’m sure it does rev people up."

9 The videos have been shared online, spreading the violent message Credit: YouTube

9 The young people involved have all covered their faces Credit: YouTube

9 One young person points his fingers at the camera like a gun Credit: YouTube

In one video, a young person can be seen with their face covered with an eerie skeleton mask while just moments later a teen can be seen pointing his fingers at the camera like a gun.

The video's lyrics also boast "couldn't get him, so got his friend".

Detective Superintendent Mike West of Met Police said the online threats could be to blame for the escalating violence with almost 60 people killed in London this year alone.

He told The Times: "The gangs try to out rival each other with the filming and content - what looks like a music video can actually contain explicit language with gangs threatening each other.

"There are gestures of violence with hand signals suggesting they are firing weapons and graphic descriptions of what they would do to each other."

He added: "We have been working with Google to take down some of the videos but as with all serious violence, there is always more work to be done."

9 One Twitter handle shares threats and photographs of apparent 'snitches' Credit: Twitter

9 A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the shooting of a 17-year-old girl in Tottenham Credit: PA:Press Association

9 At one point in the videos, a person can be seen throwing champagne around Credit: YouTube

Among the victims was 17-year-old Tanesha Melbourne, who died in her mum's arms after being gunned down in a drive-by attack on Monday.

There are fears she may have been caught in the crossfire of a deadly gang war sparked by a brawl in a milkshake bar.

Sick taunts were later shared online about the young woman's death, with the posts appearing to claim responsibility and boasting: "If your chillin with my ops I ain't gonna adjust me aim for you #NPK #SINSQUAD"

Other disturbing videos appeared to show an apparent confrontation that Tanesha was caught up in before her death, which may have snowballed into the deadly gang war.

Tottenham-based gang NPK's own social media pages are awash with sick gangland taunts and bragging rap videos - boasting about being a "Sin Squad".

In one Sin Squad video, half a dozen young men can be seen wearing masks and hoodies while at one point, one of the young men can be seen pouring champagne out of a bottle on the street, while exchanging threats.

Other posts shared on Instagram show thousands of pounds being counted.

It was today revealed DJ Tim Westwood is profiting from hosting violent gang videos on YouTube.

London's murder rate has overtaken that in New York - with dozens of people fatally stabbed in the capital in the first three months of the year.

It comes after it was claimed London teens are stabbing each other for a new game called Scores - with young people pressured to hurt each other to earn points and kudos among gangs.

9 The message makes reference to the teenager's death

9 The NPK gang member referenced a fight recorded in Tinseltown which many have claimed led to Tanesha's death in Chalgrove Road, Tottenham

Chris Preddie, who grew up on the fringes of London gangs and drugs, told The Sun Online that social media was only making the situation more dangerous.

Chris, who now works to support young people through his charity Make Dreams a Reality, said: "It’s spinning out of control, and social media creates that hype.

"If I create a video saying I don’t like you and send it out – it’s not just the person who has seen it, it’s dozens.

"How do you feel knowing that so many people have heard that you’re an idiot? You feel like you have to retaliate. It’s a battle over who has the most kudos and respect."

Patrick Green of the Ben Kinsella Trust said more needed to be done to ensure young people understood the impact of stabbings.

He said: "Many people are worried and concerned about peer pressure as anybody else - if your friends start to carry knives, peer pressure will then see you follow.

"Gangs are using videos to promote a lifestyle, and to threaten other gang members, so social media is being used in a really negative way.

"That's something that needs to be looked at."

A YouTube spokesperson said they were working with Met Police, the Home Office and the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime to investigate, saying: "We share the concern about the recent violence in London and obviously do not want YouTube used to provoke violence.

"(We are working) to gather intelligence so we can understand where a song lyric that might seem innocent without context is in fact a threat of violence."

The spokesperson said that law enforcement was able to directly flag videos, adding: "In the UK, we have developed policies specifically to help tackle content related to knife and gang crime and are committed to continue working constructively with experts on this issue to be part of the solution."

The growing violence has since a strict stance by Metropolitan Police, with the head of Scotland Yard yesterday vowing to use "Al Capone" tactics to curb the surge in murders.

Cressida Dick revealed a crack team of 120 cops would target London's most violent gang members and drag them off the streets "for any crime".

MOST READ IN NEWS SKIN DEEP Skin rash IS Covid symptom, experts warn - the 8 different types revealed Latest RALLYING CRY PM says 'pull together' and warns 'your cough could be someone's death knell' Exclusive PIERS PRESSURE Couple wiped out village's internet for 18 MONTHS to watch Piers on £30 TV MASS EVACUATION Thousands forced to leave mega caravan park as Covid lockdown rules kick in Exclusive OWN GOAL Paul Scholes breaches lockdown AGAIN by hosting footie tournament in his garden COV-ER & OUT Lockdown-free Sweden 'on brink of BEATING Covid after achieving herd immunity'

She said: "We will be looking to target the people we know are the most dangerous and get the intelligence to our local officers which they can use in a fast-time way.

"We will be encouraging them to not just deal with those people for violent crime, or carrying a knife, but for associated crime, or indeed any crime. If we can get people locked up, if we know they are a prolific knife criminal or a very violent person, then that is all to the good."

The police tactics are similar to those used against US gangster Al Capone, who was jailed for tax evasion.

London Police chief Cressida Dick is putting 300 more officers on the street a day to tackle violent crime and says they have 'not lost control'