Rioting in UK capital

[mariab]

Indeed, so the cops would need a sprinkler attachment for their water cannons and the water would need to be at a nice warm bath temperature for the poor loves.

Or better yet: fill the water cannons with beer! ;-)

I cannot help but think about the people of Norway and how dignified and calm they were in the face of the most terrible of events and how ugly the behaviour here is by comparison. I am deeply, deeply ashamed.

Norway can't be compared to most places in the world. It's a lot of vast territory whith hardly any population, and a country which was never known to have experienced any political significance. Things are still and will always be a bit idyllic in Norway.

It's happened before - need we all be reminded that 53 persons were killed, during the Los Angeles riots, of 1992; it's happening now; and it will happen again!

Absolutely. It happened in Paris 2 years ago, when about 20% of the local population lost their cars due to them having been burned. Then things calmed down, almost suddenly and randomly. The only visible trace left is built on railings on top of buildings in the Paris banlieus (=the poor immigrant neighborhoods in the outskirts of Paris), so that people can't throw entire fridges at cops anymore. The Paris riots were immigrant-concentrated, and the French immigrants have significantly less legal rights than in the UK.

In the Athens (Greece) riots the majority of the rioters arrested turned out to be rich kids from the upper class, with iPhones in their pockets and Nikes on their feet. One 17 year old got accidentally shot during the riots, and has been declared a “generational hero“, whith minor riots and demonstrations occurring every year on the anniversary of his death.
It's ironic that the French rioters' parents demonstrated against the Vietnam war, the Greek rioters' parents demonstrated against the Greek junta, and they both managed to win their fight. But the next generation seems to equate Rodney King with Martin Luther King.

[The Grave Maurice]

What London needs now is a little less of the "Ullo, ullo, what's all this then?" and a little more of the "So long, suckers!"

[Supe]

Just because the Metropolitan Police failed to protect the Whitechapel victims in 1888 . . .

Uh, Heinrich, you have rather beaten that horse into insensibility and it might just be seen as a bit insensitive to attempt to score debating points linking the events of 1888 with today, but by golly that one-track mind does seem to go on forever.

. . . and necessary support.

If by that you mean political support you are spot on. And, Ally, I would suggest that what keeps the police, in large part, from "getting it together" is cowardice from politicians. Certainly, the number of police injured to date suggests they have not simply sat back and I suspect that the rank and file (if not the careerists amonmg the officers) would welcome having their fetters undone by the politicians.

Don.

[Ally]

Ah yes, so nice to know that the good people of England just need to sit tight, and wait for the police to assemble themselves in proper numbers and with proper support and then, eventually, they will be rescued. I mean they only had SIX THOUSAND officers on duty last night, clearly that wasn't enough.

I mean so far it's only been three days of rioting with the police standing there twiddling their thumbs, but I am sure eventually they'll get it together....just sit tight folks. I mean eventually they'll run out of actual buildings to burn anyway, but don't you worry, any minute now the police are going to get it together.

Any minute...

[Heinrich]

Just because the Metropolitan Police failed to protect the Whitechapel victims in 1888 does not mean they cannot protect Londoners today once they have proper numbers on the streets and necessary support.

[Supe]

Ally,

so who is actually left in the country to defend the people?

Social workers, dispensers of the dole, community organizers, sheltered academics and vote-seeking politicians--now there is a fearsome group.

Don.

[The Grave Maurice]

Two words: army..now. And forget the rubber bullets.

[Ally]

Truly I am thankful I live in a place and a state where there is a stand your ground law and castle doctrine is enshrined.

I cannot imagine the sense of helplessness people must feel when they have been stripped of their means and ability to defend themselves and suddenly come to the realization that relying on someone else to protect them was a pipe dream and pure foolishness. They have stripped the people of the power of defense, and they have stripped the police of the power as well...so who is actually left in the country to defend the people?

How quickly that nebulous protection of "society" is stripped.

[AmmanValleyJack]

your comments are outrageous Fleetwood Mac.

the one thing that is oozes out from your posts is that you clearly equate Blacks with foreigners with your "ship them back" mentality. Colour does not equate to Nationality.

The rioters (the vast majority) are British citizens. There are Black British and Black White doing the rioting as has already been pointed out. What about the Student riots. they were a great majority of Whites as well as in White areas. Why do you want ship British citizens to other countries? do you advocate setting up another penal colony in a far off land where we can overrun the natives and leave our undesirables in their place much like Australia?

Also what about the Sikh's and Muslims who are working hard tonight to save their communities in the area's of London they live? ship those potential terrorist scum back as well?

[Stephen Thomas]

LOL...you have got to love it. I am sure the communities, you know the ones who are being burned out of their house and home would love the police to get off their fat arses and smite the little hooligans.

You got it in one there, Ally.

[Stephen Thomas]

It's 'gangsta' culture, that's what it is. It's revolting and it doesn't matter what colour or creed participate in it, it's negative, opportunistic, selfish and in its worst manifestation, violent or even lethal.

I've seen it first hand in schools of all places. It's one of the reasons I left the teaching profession. Self-righteous kids who think they're untouchable because they have 'rights' or a posse of bully boys who are willing to go to extreme lengths to exact retribution for the most pointless of transgressions.

It's mob violence, safety in numbers cowardly crap. We now see how out of control it can be - this is not just people avoiding dodgy areas at night any more, this is coming to a town near you. You have no choice but be subjected to the results of their criminal mindset.

The government needs to get VERY tough now. And it shouldn't be seen as containing/inflaming a political struggle or principle because there isn't one to opress. It's stopping extreme criminality. These kids and those that tag along with it are now - just because they feel they can - wantonly destroying or communities and OUR rights to be able to just go about our lives.

A quite magnificent post there, John.

[Robert]

Turning the other cheek didn't work 2000 years ago and it doesn't work now.

[Ally]

LOL...you have got to love it. I am sure the communities, you know the ones who are being burned out of their house and home would love the police to get off their fat arses and smite the little hooligans.

So first you take away people's right to and ability to defend themselves, and then you refuse to allow the police to defend them either. You really have got to love it.

[Robert]

May needs to stop using that stupid buzzword "communities." And if policing by consent means, you can only police by kind permission of the very people that you are supposed to be policing, then she needs to get medical help.

[Supe]

Despite increasing calls for the police to get tough with the rioters, Home Secretary Theresa May today sparked anger as she appeared to dismiss the notions that water cannons and even the Army could be used to ensure violent scenes are not repeated tonight.

As police were slammed for appearing to let looters run riot under their noses, Mrs May instead advocated a more softly-softly approach.


She said: 'The way we police in Britain is not through use of water cannon. The way we police in Britain is through consent of communities.'

Well there you go. But what can you expect after decades of protecting criminals' rights more than those of the victims.

Don.