London riots

[Maggot]

No mention so far, not a happy state of affairs is it? Does anyone live in the area who can give a non-biased view? Strangely, we drove through Hackney on Saturday, we even stopped for a Latte in a nice cafe, all seemed well then, no longer though

Seems like an excuse for causing mayhem really, very shoddy. Let's hope it's sorted by the time the Olympics comes to town. Blimey the Frenchies will have a field day, especially as we only nicked it by 4 votes!

 

[andybysea]

Looks like an excuse for scum bags to go looting to me,as for the French they cant say diddly as they had riots over there not that long ago,seems sports shop's and pc shops rate high on this type of looter's to do list.

Oh dont live in the area,obviously but have been following it,as my Sister live nearby and we where worried when it kicked off.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Just shows the difference between cultures when these 'gangsta' low life are out doing that, so called in the name of a crack dealer killed by police, yet the Japanese folk never resulted to looting after suffering a real disaster. If that isn't much of a comparison look at what happened in New Orleans. Yeah, that flat screen tv and a new pair of Filas is so important when your house has washed away. The sooner all this gangster carp is censored in society the better.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

From what I've heard it was just a one off organised via the social networks of groups of ( add the expletive(s) of your choice) & had no political motivation. Not really a riot, more a thugs rampage, though I suppose because of the result & media attention, a second one is not out of the question.

 

[im spartacus]

Yep i live in Tottenham
Was not a nice place to be on Saturday Night. helicopters over head all night noise and the sound of the police cars

 

[Ahjno]

I crossed my fingers with the wish it'd pass these forums unmentioned. Alas ...

This is one those topics that easily turns into a digital fight, because it gets political or because people have other strong opinions about things that happened.

I'll leave it for now, though as soon as it turns nasty I'll lock it to get rid of it - we're short on staff and have plenty of other things to address.

- Keep it clean: family friendly language.
- Play nicely
- Respect
- No politics
- No religion
- If you think your post might be offensive: don't post
- Think before you post
- If you're drunk: don't post
- etc

 

[Bushwhacker]

We'll start a riot if this thread gets locked. Cuz we iz bush soljas innit blud.

 

[Maggot]

I crossed my fingers with the wish it'd pass these forums unmentioned. Alas ...

This is one those topics that easily turns into a digital fight, because it gets political or because people have other strong opinions about things that happened.

I'll leave it for now, though as soon as it turns nasty I'll lock it to get rid of it - we're short on staff and have plenty of other things to address.

- Keep it clean: family friendly language.
- Play nicely
- Respect
- No politics
- No religion
- If you think your post might be offensive: don't post
- Think before you post
- If you're drunk: don't post
- etc

How on earth the most significant social event currently happening in the UK can pass by un-noticed is beyond me.

As for the political bit, well I am not completely sure, but I would not be surprised if this is one subject that actually has 100% agreement that the rioters are nothing more than a bunch of whining lowlife idiots. As I said in a previous thread, you can't keep politics out of anything, so I hope that the occasional political remark is allowed to go, although only as long as it furthers the debate.

 

[locum76]

Too many bored people, in too small a space, very little services and amenities, no industry, with not enough money and no prospects. Not an excuse but an underlying problem. There will be more and more of this, I reckon it's the thin end of the wedge.

 

[Maggot]

I fear you may be right locum sir. I am in the West Country, and what happens in London usually finds its way along the M4. Oh, and up the M1 and M6!

I don't get the whole 'community leader' thing. If they are community leaders, then get a grip of the community, otherwise get out of the way and let the Police do their thing. There was a Met guy on the radio this afternoon, getting a hard time off of Peter Allen, he rightly pointed out that the very people who are saying the Police should be more 'robust' now, were the very people saying they were too heavy handed 6 months ago with Unison and the Students. Damned if they do, damned if they don't.

As for the clean up, well, I would be inclined to give everyone a brush and a shovel and get some skips, they can clean up themselves, the 'community leaders' can organise a rota maybe.

 

[ged]

My first job after leaving university in 1976 was at Imperial College, just around the back of the Albert Hall. I lived in Wood Green. Two months after I got the job I resigned. Even then I couldn't stand it there, and if I'd had to stay I'd probably have started a riot myself. To be perfectly honest I don't understand why there aren't more riots in London.

As it happened I came back from France at the weekend. The M25 had been closed by an accident and that was already causing mayhem. So I drove right through London on Friday night between about ten and midnight. It seemed to be boiling, but I just thought it must be because I'd been chilling in the outback for a couple of weeks and wasn't used to the way masses of people can appear to those who don't live with them every day. I had a nasty experience like that once before. But this time I remember thinking it was distinctly unnerving. Police seemed to be running around everywhere, and people were doing the damndest things on the roads both with and without vehicles. It was almost as much as I could do to keep out of trouble (I was riding my motorcycle) and that's not normal for me at all. At one stage I pulled up at a set of lights beside a pizza delivery guy on a scooter. He was away at the first hint of green, but something made me hang back -- I can't say I know what it was. The pizza guy nearly got creamed by a guy who crashed the lights fully five seconds after they'd changed to red for him. He was driving a double-decker bus, all its lights off, and he looked scared. At the time I thought he must be scared he'd killed somebody but now I wonder if he wasn't just getting away from something.

One thing that really strongly hit me apart from the relief of getting to the M1 and away from the place was as I was heading up Tottenham Court Road. The whole area was completely awash with folk seemingly intent on having a good time no matter what. I've never seen such a lot of people appear so hyped up, although at a tense football match you might see some of the same emotion. I thought, "This can't work, it has no future." and I kept the bike moving even if it meant bending the rules of the road a little bit. About the only time I did stop was at a junction, for an ambulance under blue light. Nobody else seemed to have even seen it.

When I read about the riots I wasn't very surprised. I don't think it's over yet. Sure there are people who will see opportunities for criminal acts that they might get away with in the confusion, but there's more to it than that. The whole setup is unnatural. I think it's an offence against Nature. We offend Mother Nature at our peril.

 

[Toddy]

How on earth the most significant social event currently happening in the UK can pass by un-noticed is beyond me.

As for the political bit, well I am not completely sure, but I would not be surprised if this is one subject that actually has 100% agreement that the rioters are nothing more than a bunch of whining lowlife idiots. As I said in a previous thread, you can't keep politics out of anything, so I hope that the occasional political remark is allowed to go, although only as long as it furthers the debate.

I didn't even know it had happened until I opened this thread.

Politics isn't an acceptable topic on this forum, and so far most folks have managed to keep thousands of threads politics free.

Sympathies to both the innocent bystanders and the emergency services handling the problems.

One has to wonder if the heat has anything to do with it ? No one seems to riot much in the cold and wet I notice.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Retired Member southey]

A friend of mine is currently on double time having been called in off leave to go lend a hand along with others from his constabulary , every cloud and all that! hahaha,

 

[pjk1986]

Our only hope is that PC rain is on duty tonight..... failing that serious action needs to be taken!

 

[Barn Owl]

Too many bored people, in too small a space, very little services and amenities, no industry, with not enough money and no prospects. Not an excuse but an underlying problem. There will be more and more of this, I reckon it's the thin end of the wedge.

Aye but enough about us....

Get the water cannons out.
I know it would send me home if I was soaked to the skin.

I really don't know why we don't use them,seem pretty non lethal and could help on the fire front too.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Aye but enough about us....

Get the water cannons out.
I know it would send me home if I was soaked to the skin.

I really don't know why we don't use them,seem pretty non lethal and could help on the fire front too.

Cant start throwing all that dihydrogen monoxide about mate, think of the children!

 

[locum76]

ahahahhhhahhha.

 

[Peter_t]

this is what im thinking.
the police clearly can't cope so why don't they get the army to help? im sure some units must know how to control this sort of thing.

am i talking sense?


pete

 

[dozzer]

i just cant believe how soft we really are!! why no water cannons tear gas etc, these mindless idiots are ruining homes peoples jobs their own capital city and they dont care. its time to lay down the law and teach these thugs a lesson!!!

 

[knifefan]

The police can cope!! They HAVE water cannons,plastic bullets, teargas !!!!! But the no necks in charge haven't got the "bottle" to authorise their use!!! They don't care what happens to the "plod" or "public" - too busy covering their backs !!!! One thing is for sure, there will be a lot of "chavs" in new trainers and wathchin 50" tellies 2 morra !!!!!!