General discussion for (Tottenham) riots

MacMickster

I see they are suggesting that blackberries are being used by the mobs to organise themselves. So much for any suggestion that this is due to poverty.

neverdespairgirl

abaxas wrote: »

Obviously you have never worked with them.

I regularly work with police officers. I'm a barrister.

quantic

The police facing these low life, uneducated, value void, scum bag, rioters rightly deserve to look forward to holidays and whatever else they have earned during this chaos. I'm with the police on this one, they are between a rock and a hard place... they can't use too much force incase they are sued/investigated later and if they don't they get told that they are ineffective.

I say the police give them 3 warnings, then shoot on sight.

jgolding

drc wrote: »

Apparently it is Finchley, Muswell Hill, Crouch End tonight according to rumours on Twitter.

Lots of shops closing early in Muswell Hill and Crouch End and loads of police on Stroud Green Road.

Lets hope it will just be some Fortismere students throwing brioche and organic cheese tonight.

Thankfully nothing major happened in Muswell Hill. Carphone Warehouse had it's window smashed, but they didn't get through. 1 kid also got arrested.

edinburgher

I see they are suggesting that blackberries are being used by the mobs to organise themselves. So much for any suggestion that this is due to poverty.

Sorry, but this is a bit of a non-argument for me. It's an open secret that people in relative poverty will still often have access to high tech gadgets and spend more on clothes than the rest of us do. When you think you've got a lifetime of (relative) poverty to look forward to, there doesn't seem much point in scrimping and saving for pensions/mortgages etc. as you likely couldn't afford them anyway.

I'm not taking a 'right or wrong' stance over this, but there's no reason why 'poor' people wouldn't have a mobile phone.

Kennyboy66

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

What a nasty, pathetic thing to say.

I sincerely doubt that policemen faced with riots think, "yay! A few quid extra in the pay packet!"

This was the prevailing view of Police sent from far off regions during the miners strike, when much time was spent just standing around.

However riot situations are unarguably different. It will be a matter of time before an emergency worker is killed, and despite tactics and protective clothing having improved enourmously since the early 1980's, it must be terrifying being bombarded by missiles & amongst building set ablaze.

quantic

I didn't see any poor, needy people, just a bunch of !!!!!!s from London who think they are "gangsta, init blood." etc etc. They deserve a lifetime of nothingness.

Kennyboy66

vivatifosi wrote: »

Phrases I never thought I'd hear: "recreational rioting". !!!!!!?

Kidiots.

I'd imagine for many teenagers, just being out on the streets is tremendously exiting. In a mob of 200, there may only be 40 looting, a handful setting fires and the rest tagging along, probably kicking bins over and smashing bus shelters.

The Mob and crowd dynamics does mean that people will do things that they normally wouldn't consider.

What I find astonishing is parents out with young children spectating. But then as my 12 years son said - "Its like 'Horrible Histories' and public executions, people are just drawn to it".

jojo1964

Watching Sky news and in ealing 38 small shops were looted with tills broken into, shops included a chinese takeaway, florist and organic cafe, shows the true colours, this is anarchy and theft brought on by weak government foisting unlimited immigration on these areas, sorry if that offends but this needs to be addressed sensibly and vigorously and openly without it descending into the usual left v right slanging match.

doire_2

http://www.youtube.com/embed/6Gex_ya4-Oo

London rioters rob injured boy