London Riots

[DownrangeFuture]

Wow, just wow. There's tragedy like that and all some people can do is argue. Tear gas is a deterrent at best. A tear gas grenade spreads the gas over a large area, and dissipates quickly. People's fear of tear gas causes 90% of the reaction. Within 5 minutes of being out of the tear gas, your respitory functions return to normal and your eyes feel just a little red.

To top it off about 1 in 40 people have no reaction to tear gas. Water hoses and bean bags from shotguns do more to stop people. But if the police force isn't large enough, any of these will just incite people to get even more violent. Add in that they're teenagers and think they're invincible...

It's hard to know what to do in those situations.

 

[gpostarmy]

With the state of the world as a whole I worry for those I know. We have many, many countries around the world that just don't seem to know how to deal with the economic situation in the world market. This in turn is seen within there own economic situation. The people start to struggle and look to the government for help. However, those in government regardless of what country have been borrowing from tomorrow to deal with today. That is finally catching up to them. There is just nothing left to take form anymore. Our governments have made a critical misstep. They did not see fit to save and stock pile and now there is nothing for the drought. Now on to society. We are more of a world culture than most my want to admit. The aspects of social discorce amongst today's youth is present across the board, fueled and fanned via social networking sites. Alot of kids and even young people my age have been raised to believe that everything should be fare, that if you go to college you will have a great job, and that life is a FN fairy tale. Then they hit reality. The economy blows, there are no jobs, and OH yeah you have a boat load of debt from school. Then we are right back to the castrated, clueless governments who can't do anything about it and a bunch of kids who never had the crap smacked out of them if they threw a fit. OK I am done with this. END RANT.

P.S. Learn how to grow a vegetable garden it may save your life. If you already do, good on ya.

 

[spine]

People are saying the rioters are kicking off because they are from poor areas, etc, but they didn't look so poor when they are texting each other from Blackberry phones about meeting up to riot and wearing designer hoodies. Real poverty is seen in parts of Africa where people are starving and struggling to survive.
Just because they haven't got the latest Xbox does not mean they are 'living in poverty'.

I am sick of the Politically Correct brigade making excuses as to why they are burning and damaging everything. They are scum, plain and simple.
They are making the rioters out to be 'victims' cos of their 'upbringing' and because there's a lack of jobs. The real victims here are the ones who've lost their homes, businesses and vehicles.

There's only a small group of people who are doing this in the UK and its opportunist thugs. Us, the real people who pay our taxes and are looking for work, would never dream of doing this - destroying peoples homes, burning people's livelihoods down to the ground. Yes, we may be unhappy with the way the UK economy currently is, but we do not destroy everything in sight. We keep calm and carry on and get our voices heard by writing and talking to local MPs. We actually have a brain cell.

I've just looked on Twitter and it seems many people are banding together to help clear up the streets of London. This goes to show that for every scumbag there are hundreds of people who are willing to help out our fellow countrymen in need. This is the real Britain and why I am proud to be British.

 

[Norbert]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FImie2IG3-w"]The Smiths - Panic[/ame]

 

[Tailgate]

Sounds like London police aren't respected (or feared). Myself, I prefer days when after, say, an earthquake, flood, or something, loud and clear notice was "looters will be shot" If London police did something similar, guarantee, this would quickly return London neighborhoods to being safe. Instead, politicians choose to keep neighborhoods unsafe for everybody because they're worried that they might be branded "uncivil" or "insensitive." Does this sound too exteme? Well, how about water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas then? Get some cajones, London police! The days of everybody being "proper" in England no longer exist. The initial cause of the violence, stealing, vandalism doesn't even any longer matter. They're just doing it to be out of control, enrich themselves and spread hate. This is what happens in the absence of authority.

 

[Marthy]

Pot. kettle. black.

You are generalising about the third world in pretty much every post. There are parts of this area that are perfectly civilised and people live a good life.

And once again, over reaction. I mentioned tear gas, you just want to let rip with automatic weapons.

I just have a problem with wanton, mindless violence and destruction of property and lives and the authorities seem to do very little about it.

I am sure the people who lost their entire homes and belongings due to the fires wouldn't share your stand back and watch attitude to law enforcement.

I'm bored with this now. Write what you like, I won't be reading any more of this thread.

Hey Mate! My wife is from Joburg. I was there last September, we got married over there on the vall.

I did a fair amount of traveling when in I was in racing, mostly in North America. Went to Mexico few time. Things were a little different but still feel safe, not sure about it lately with the drug cartel... But let me tell you something, S.A. is a totally different ball game. Things are bad there... I never been scare of going somewhere before... but there I was happy to be back in America. I've seen houses with 8 ft brick wall and electrical fence on top. They were not mansion, just regular houses.

Any one have seen the movie District 9? That was film in Johannesburg. It is what it is in the movie. It's a shame because it's a beautiful country, I'm sure even better on the coast. If some of you think it's bad here in the US with illegal immigration... You guys haven't seen $hit! Thrust me...

I won't say SA is a 3rd world country... but things are quite different over there. But one thing I can assure you, it's nice to be and feel safe at home. If I was living there I won't even go take a piss without a hand gun! Honestly...

Beautiful country though! Nice people too...

 

[Sparkybean]

... You guys haven't seen $hit! Thrust me...

Thrust me??? Hello sailor

 

[Hellgate]

There were riots in the 1970s over the lack of jobs, etc. This looks similar to me. I honestly don't know enough about the situation to comment thoughtfully, but I do know that the wanton distruction of another's property is wrong. The Rodney King riots look similar to this too.

Remember the song London Burning by the Clash?

 

[racing_fan]

A rather comprehensive writeup... worth a read...

UK riots: What turns people into looters?

Basically it boils down to a lack of morality IMHO, now that in turn can be caused by bad upbringing, socio-economic factors or just plain psychology of a person... but somewhere along the line the sense of morality has been lost...

As for the police response, I think there are options between the passive containment and automatic weapons fire (seemingly on the menu for some part of this thread).....

 

[dxh24]

Sounds like London police aren't respected (or feared). Myself, I prefer days when after, say, an earthquake, flood, or something, loud and clear notice was "looters will be shot" If London police did something similar, guarantee, this would quickly return London neighborhoods to being safe. Instead, politicians choose to keep neighborhoods unsafe for everybody because they're worried that they might be branded "uncivil" or "insensitive." Does this sound too exteme? Well, how about water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas then? Get some cajones, London police! The days of everybody being "proper" in England no longer exist. The initial cause of the violence, stealing, vandalism doesn't even any longer matter. They're just doing it to be out of control, enrich themselves and spread hate. This is what happens in the absence of authority.

You have to remember, these are the guys who drive around in diesel hatchbacks as squad cars, whereas around here they're switching from crown vic's to Dodge Chargers and Mustangs, not sure there's much hope for the U.K. "rozzers"

 

[Nelly]

Sounds like London police aren't respected (or feared). Myself, I prefer days when after, say, an earthquake, flood, or something, loud and clear notice was "looters will be shot" If London police did something similar, guarantee, this would quickly return London neighborhoods to being safe. Instead, politicians choose to keep neighborhoods unsafe for everybody because they're worried that they might be branded "uncivil" or "insensitive." Does this sound too exteme? Well, how about water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas then? Get some cajones, London police! The days of everybody being "proper" in England no longer exist. The initial cause of the violence, stealing, vandalism doesn't even any longer matter. They're just doing it to be out of control, enrich themselves and spread hate. This is what happens in the absence of authority.

The Police have had access to bean bag guns (sorry don't know correct name) throughout the last three days. I't remains slightly unclear as to why they were not deployed?
During the student riots recently the Police were heavily criticised for being to softly softly.
On day two they got a bit more knocky Knocky and were immediately vilified for doing it.

The Government needs to lay down the law and reinforce the consequences of anti-social behaviour.
As we speak, riots have started in Manchester and the Midlands. A report has just been broadcast that parents are handing bricks to children to throw at the Police WTF is that about.
Nelly

 

[dxh24]

Sadly i think what we're seeing here is a bunch of people who believe they are "entitled"

I'm slightly concerned about how officials are handling this. People riot, politicians respond with minimal harshness, rioting continues... Are they going to just arrest the entire country? I hear they're running out of prison space. Time to get a prison ship, look out OZ j/k :ban:

Save a country, Beat a looter!

Be safe, hopefully that'll all be over with soon.

P.S. How long til' Obama gets on the tele and starts saying UK has our full support then does very little to back it up? :spank:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOiLVo8yIJE"]‪Flogging Molly "Dont Shut 'Em Down" - OFFICIAL VIDEO‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]
"people taking care of the people, there's no other way or we'll break" Great message in this song

 

[hk_fz6_05]

Interestingly the disturbances seem to have been co-ordinated via social networks. Is it possible to close down these sites during public disorder?


Nelly

yes it is. They did exactly that in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Yemen when the same thing happened there.

 

[Drinky]

yes it is. They did exactly that in Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Yemen when the same thing happened there.

Except there was a big difference in the reasons WHY they are riotting,
demanding change vs theft and destruction of other peoples property.

By that I mean blocking social media would in this case be very valid, as these people are just criminals.

 

[LeaN69]

I wonder if the filming of Top Gear is being effected by this... :spank: j/k

I was not following on this matter so I really have no say, but what I do not understand is what would provoke such action... SMH....

 

[hk_fz6_05]

Except there was a big difference in the reasons WHY they are riotting, demanding change vs theft and destruction of other peoples property.

By that I mean blocking social media would in this case be very valid, as these people are just criminals.

So since many organised criminal organisations use mobile phones, by the same logic it would be ok to ban cell phones.

someone wise once said something about essential liberty and temporary safety - yes?

also I disagree with the "their "just" criminals". In the eyes of the law yes. Same can be said for above examples. However nothing like this happens without some background that escapes closer examination if you simplify it by decrying the rioters as "simply criminals". Unless you think that a significant part of the British population are simply criminals sitting at home waiting for a chance to burn sh** for no good reason (which I think would have led to more arsons through the year). just saying...

 

[YamaSpeed]

Thrust me??? Hello sailor

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha gaaa.... ha ha ha ha...

 

[sniff6]

The "Plebs are revolting" .These idiots are are just doing this rioting to get back at the working class people.One woman was quoted as saying rich people (people that work) have things we aint got,that why we burned the sony place!!!

Look at this picture. It's not about race,money or unemployment.

Now she will go to prison for £5 worth of crisps!!

The plebs can afford to have a Blackberry and Designer tracksuits and the latest trainers though.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qwRC0ORE4I&feature=related"]‪London Rioters Rob Bleeding Man's Backpack‬‏ - YouTube[/ame]

Rant over sorry. they make me so mad..

 

[grommit]

I have just returned from London (a posh part thou) where it was actually very very quiet last night to find that 3 people had been killed defending their property not too far away from me in Birmingham.

BBC News - Three killed protecting property during Birmingham riots

 

[Sparkybean]

Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha gaaa.... ha ha ha ha...

I'm glad someone enjoyed that. I couldn't resist!