We're working from home this afternoon. We sat down to have some lunch, and flicked the telly on to Sky News. And the coverage of the growing problems in London is mind-boggling.
It's not restricted to London now either. Riots have broken out in Birmingham where the city's Police Station is reported to be on fire, and in Liverpool where cars have been set alight.
What started in Tottenham on Saturday as a protest against the police killing of Mark Duggan, a 29 year old father of four has become anarchy on a far wider scale. Much of the damage is being caused by large groups of young people, communicating with one another via social media. Looting and damage has been widespread. We've just seen two local residents of one affected suburb interviewed, and they said that whilst some of the offenders were wearing hoods or balaclavas, many were not, and did not seem to care if they were able to be identified.
The escalation of this level of random violence and destruction is deeply troubling, as is the seeming inability of the police to do anything about it. It seems unlikely that there will be an early end to this rioting.
In the meantime, The Guardian has extensive coverage, including this page where the latest reports of rioting and looting are being added as they come to hand.
UPDATE: And even as we have been typing this, the chaos escalates; Sky News is showing live footage of a fire which they have not yet been able to identify the location of where an entire city block seems to be alight [just identified as Waltham Abbey in North London]. What can you say?
13 comments:
What can i say? It's disturbing because it can easily happen anywhere right now?
The incident that triggered this event, i would equate with 'lifting the scab' on a festering wound.
We gloat and praise the net worth of a few billionaires, but a billion people with nothing are hurting?
A tentative balancing act?
This is mindless violence motivated by greed.
People with mobile phones (which is what they're using to arrange the riots) don't have nothing. It's not things they lack but a concience and respect for other people and their property.
See Liberty Scott: http://libertyscott.blogspot.com/2011/08/want-some-free-stuff.html
@merlene. Best you say nothing then. This is not about "a billion people with nothing".
It is about a legacy left by liberal hand-wringers who treat offenders as victims and set no boundaries or consequences. It is about people being allowed to behave as they wish, and an ineffectual criminal justice system that holds no fears for criminals.
He may have been a father of 4, but he was a thug, who carried firearms and opened fire on police when he realised he was being followed.
There are already signs of challenges to come in NZ. Young people are arranging major parties through texting and assembling in groups too large for Police to deal with with their present powers and while it has not yet evolved into this kind of riot it is a portent of things to come.
Secondly the Government is not helping by pricing unskilled school leavers out of the employment market.That situation is already serious and the Minister either lacks the ability or the will to tackle it head on. Don't give them handouts give them a chance.
@Moist von Lipwig, "and an ineffectual justice system that holds no fears for criminals"?
MVL's onto it but should also have mentioned that the tolerance of gang culture in the name of multiculturalism and diversity has a big part to play in this.
When you have riots in Enfield - who's main High School has an old boys rugby club, that I played for - it's not about poverty.
'We peacefully toppled murderous regimes, you steal DVD players'. Egyptian bloggers.
It's no longer a peaceful protest requesting information from the police, but a bunch of young looting neo-right-wing materialistic hooligans and thugs. Frightening for the peace-lovers of the world.
And very sad.
BTW James. Any chance of playing the race card and linking diversity (no please, dear god why did you not make us all the same in your likeness!!!) with gangs and violence eh?
Oh, you have already? Good boy. ;)
Cheers,
Old Timer.
"Live by the sword, die by the sword."
If these animals will not withdraw after repeated warnings, just line up the Paras with rubber bullets - and to hell with the consequences!
Any injuries/accidental deaths that may happen as a result will have been brought on by themselves.
Their actions are NOT in righteous protest at the death of a thug... they are simply anarchy, and should be dealt with as such. None of this limp-dick PC shite! Crack down HARD and IMMEDIATELY!
Thanks for that Rob.
Is it "playing the race card" to note that any discussion of black gang problems in parts of London has been shut down with cries of "racist!" for the last 20 years?
I'll just point out that we so far seem to have had no violence in Finsbury Park where a combination of Irish and Jamaican communities have integrated together very happily...I always enjoyed following a couple of Guinesses with a curry goat there, and wouldn't have gone to Lewisham for all the tea in Pak'n'Save.
James: yoiks!
Bigcurvygirls: Yikes! Guns are so PC, Rob! Or aren't they? What actually is PC? Communications/PR for 26 years... should be a breeze to concisely sum up exactly (not just what your version) of PC is.
Here is a link to why the race card is a factor.
http://www.martinfrost.ws/htmlfiles/rivers_blood2.html
JS. We lived in the Peckham/Lewisham area at Nunhead for almost two years while in London and never felt unsafe at any time. I am not sure we would want to be there now.
Fortunately daughter, Son in Law and children have moved to Streatham which seems ok so far.
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