What the hell is all the rioting about in London ??

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Well by now you people should know how much I despise regular telly but at the gym tonight they were running a news story about London and the riots.
Not that I did a big search but I looked into it a little bit but could find nothing as in way of a cause for it.

What the hell is going on over there ???

[anglophile31]

I haven't found a lot of detail on the situation that started it either. Apparently it's because a local guy named Mark Duggan was being arrested when the police shot him. I still don't understand how the rioting has gotten this out of control - even if the officer shot the guy in cold blood, destroying the homes and businesses of other innocent people has nothing to do with seeking justice for Mr. Duggan.

This link has some photos of the riots in the past couple of days. Be warned, this is heavy stuff. :( http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2011/08/london_riots.html

[anglophile31]

I found another link. This one describes a bit more about the situation surrounding Mr. Duggan's death. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/09/mark-duggan-police-ipcc?intcmp=239

[Aidan Phoenix]

http://news.yahoo.com/police-calm-london-riots-flare-across-uk-013858305.html

This is how I understand it at the moment...

Back in the 1980s, blacks in London felt they were being targeted by the police more often than they should. Racial profiling, if you will. Riots broke out in 1985. Things settled down after a while and all was well. Then on 4 August 2011, a 29 year old black man and father of four named Mark Duggan was shot and killed by police in Tottenham (a district of London). There's been an investigation into the entire incident, as it turns out that the one policeman that was shot took the bullet in his radio - and it was a police-issued bullet.
They believe this along with the proposed budget cuts that will affect social welfare programs is the cause of the riots. Apparently they spent about £80 billion bailing out their own banks and they're trying to offset it.
However, it's mostly young kids who are doing the rioting. I get the feeling it's probably just a few handfuls of angry protesters who are speaking out against Duggan's death while the rest are simply seeing this as an excuse to loot, pillage, and plunder. What started as a peaceful protest by a group of outraged citisens turned into a violent outburst all over the country. (Riots have taken place in Liverpool and Birmingham as well.)
I have a feeling London will be under martial law soon until they can get this under control. They're arrested about 685 people in London alone, pressed charges against 111 (including an eleven year old boy!), and are still processing others.

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Impose martial law and shoot anyone that riots and loots. :yes:

[gracegirl1974]

Impose martial law and shoot anyone that riots and loots. :yes: :yes:

[DebLovesJohnInman]

Burning down and destroying your neighborhood because you're bored or pissed off...makes sense to me.:shakehead: What are we becoming as humans? I weep for the future.:|


:anglophile:

[The Green Man]

I heard a story on NPR about the cause and it is believed that the shooting of that young man set off something bigger. NPR states (in not so many words) that the youth of England are unemployable and lack any moral virtues. They aren't rioting and looting to make a statement about the unjust nature of the killing of the young black man, but are acting out of greed. Quite simply, they want to upgrade their cell phones and IPods and to get the material possessions they feel they are owed. If you hear political leaders in England speaking to the rioters, they are urging them to go home and "behave." This is a very different response to riots England had in the 1980s. Back then there was a demand for greater participation of minorities in government and society as a whole.

We should all say a prayer for English youth tonight.

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

Burning down and destroying your neighborhood because you're bored or pissed off...makes sense to me.:shakehead: What are we becoming as humans? I weep for the future.:|


:anglophile:

For the first time in my life I'm happy to be called "middle aged".

[Aidan Phoenix]

http://news.yahoo.com/riots-london-community-consumed-itself-070607087.html

They torched a 140 year old store in Croydon. House of Reeves. It had been there since 1867 and survived two wars. All it took was a handful of little bastards to destroy it so they could have their bloody iPods.
I had hoped to maybe visit London within the next year, but now I think I will be waiting a while longer.

[larsen525]

According to today's Telegraph, businesses whose premises were looted, in order to claim compensation from HM's government, must fill out a form that was drafted in 1886(!).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/8697448/The-19th-century-form-businesses-must-fill-for-claims-under-the-Riot-Damages-Act.html

I was reminded of Rumbold's statement: "The management stands firm behind its agreement of 1928."

- E.

PS. Had a brief chat with Sue on the phone this morning: she and family are all okay. I thought they would be, as they live miles away from central London, but it was a relief to hear it anyway.

[sonosun]

Good news Erik.

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

:yes:

[Lucas The Tucas]

http://www.best-smilies.com/smilies/Tongue/4gw_best-smilies.com_tongue090.gif

[DebLovesJohnInman]

http://www.best-smilies.com/smilies/Tongue/4gw_best-smilies.com_tongue090.gif



:lol:

:anglophile:

[gracegirl1974]

http://www.best-smilies.com/smilies/Tongue/4gw_best-smilies.com_tongue090.gif :lol:

[sonosun]

http://www.best-smilies.com/smilies/Tongue/4gw_best-smilies.com_tongue090.gif


:lol:


:lol:

[Greg WibblyWobbly]

And this has to do with London Riots how ?:?

[Lucas The Tucas]

O'Wibby !

It's about this ........

According to today's Telegraph, businesses whose premises were looted, in order to claim compensation from HM's government, must fill out a form that was drafted in 1886(!).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/y...mages-Act.html (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/yourbusiness/8697448/The-19th-century-form-businesses-must-fill-for-claims-under-the-Riot-Damages-Act.html)

I was reminded of Rumbold's statement: "The management stands firm behind its agreement of 1928."

http://www.best-smilies.com/smilies/Tongue/4gw_best-smilies.com_tongue090.gif