I predict a riot

[One Day]

There was an army presence when there was an assumed terrorist thread at one of the airports, wasn't there? Remember the pictures of tanks there - Heathrow I think? I don't think it needs martial law if just small areas are involved.. but it needs to be done. The army's job is to protect civilians, ...

You have no idea how much tongue holding I am doing here tonight.
I'm off to bed, grateful for the peace here at least.
Let's hope it can be ended - and soon.

 

[CJ]

I bet most of these mindless morons don't even know wot they are rioting for................to them, its just an excuse to loot and cause havoc. The army will only work if they are armed with rubber bullets and water canons, and with the human right nutters, wot are the chances of that.

The police are vastly outnumbered, so its not gonna be easy to. As much as we all wish these scum would just disappear, they at the moment have the upper hand.

 

[doug boardley]

Am I right in saying social network websites make it easy to organise these things?

I think they certainly fan the flames sandy

 

[White Room]

Just a quick mention on rubber bullets, there not used anymore, there a hard pvc called plastic bullets..

 

[Dan]

Am I right in saying social network websites make it easy to organise these things?

And to stay away from them. You find out where the area is and avoid it.

The social networks are certainly not to blame.

They're just real reporting by real people. The news struggles to make the story opaque when we can access the info just as quick as they can. Social networks are good for this.

It's the black community upset with the lad originally. But then the rioters are just chancing it knowing the police are outnumbered, if present at all.

 

[doug boardley]

I've not seen any posts on fb condoning this moronic action

 

[user123]

Nor on twitter.... Dan is absolutely right, social media is just that, social media. Any SMS in the world wouldn't bring any kid to start thieving, looting you name it, it's the kid willing to do it in the first place.

 

[Dan]

There's no doubt about it, some of the looters will be checking twitter to see where the police are not. Though they'd use texting or phones anyway if twitter didn't exist. But they can't keep up with everything on twitter else they'd have to stand there reading it all and not looting. There's that much going on on there. It's got 2 of the top 3 most trending topics.

I've just been watching the news too, and the guy said "oh and by the way these pictures are from Tottenham earlier today not clapham". They were talking about clapham at the time.

The news could be just as to blame as twitter, if not being worse. They're making things up for the sake of shock. Twitter it's all truth.

 

[Dan]

Research In Motion (Blackberry maker) has said they'll help trace those organising this on their devices using the Messenger system (free messaging over wifi - a heavily used blackberry feature by kids as it's like free texting).

So BBM's are being used to organise some of this. They wouldn't use twitter to organise a meet due to it being public.

 

[b30 villain]

They are in brum town centre causing havoc my pal works for a big window company and the money grabbing gets have sent him up there to board windows:mad2:. Luckily for him the police aint letting no one else in

 

[Alan.P]

I'm watching in disbelief as the looting carries on across various boroughs,if the police can't handle it the surely someone can make the call to send in the army to back up numbers as a presence on the streets. Ridiculous.

 

[CJ CERAMICS]

at the risk of controversy i say forget the plastic bullets use real ones these people(used loosely) are a non useful part of society and a drain on our already over stretched financial resources, dont really go in for all this human rights and social deprivation rubbish leading to a disenchanted youth with nothing to do blah blah blah de da I grew up on a run down north eastern council estate in the middle of the highest blackspot for unemployment, with a father who was made unemployed once they shut down the furnaces, We had nothing while we were growing up but i never once thought that the solution was to rob other peoples property or burn it.......no my solution to my problem was to get up and find a job instead of blaming all my problems on society and everything around me.

 

[user123]

I feel pretty similar about this. The system of punishment must change. All this western arrogance about us being superior to so many so called third world countries, and one little window of opportunity opening and all hell breaks loose, led by greed, selfishness, total disregard for the pain caused to other people. This is a war started against people in their own neighbourhood who have done nothing but try and live their lives. Look how peaceful Egypt managed their justified riot against 30 years of oppression. And here these morons steal trainers and electronics and set fire to property in their own streets??? Where is the gratitude for more often than not having enough food on the table, for getting handouts and benefits all over the place, for living in a potentially peaceful country? How will the people feel with flooded homes or the severely ill who really need all their energy to survive on real levels, seeing all this energy of young healthy people used with so much evil? I feel so sad tonight, this is unnecessary, unjustified, unfair to all decent people.

 

[jay]

still cant believe the pictures on the tv its headlines over here. is it true it all started over polices hooting someone

 

[user123]

still cant believe the pictures on the tv its headlines over here. is it true it all started over polices shooting someone

Yep, the police shot a guy with a criminal record or sorts, who happened to be black, not sure of the exact circumstances, and that prompted a peaceful protest by his friends and neighbours, doing nothing more than waving plackards. Some low live street gang kids took this as lisence to start a riot and it spread. This riot has nothing to do with any political situation or oppression, or so called hardship ... don't get me started again, you get the picture....

Hoping to hear from Pebbs and Sharon today, that they are ok...

Have you seen the footage of this gutsy woman standing up to them all? It does contain swearing... but it's still good

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraphtv/8690275/London-riots-Woman-confronts-rioters-in-Hackney.html

 

[jay]

Not yet been working saw the fire engine that got stoned and a lot of burning buildings


just watched the link MG thanks and good on her

 

[user123]

And what makes me laugh, in a strange way, is all this claim that there is so much unemployment and poverty there with nothing to do - and these kids have Blackberrys they use for messaging each other?? How could they afford them if they are so poor?? I don't even have an android phone :lol:... and they can motivate each other within minutes, hours, to go causing mayhem but they can't motivate each other, on their fancy blackberries, to help their communities? To clean up the parks, help old or disabled or ill people with their shopping, tidy up council estates, plant some trees, improve their literacy? With all this time and energy on their hands? And then blaming the government?? Oh please...

 

[user123]

I've just talked to Pebbs on the phone, she's ok, but Sharon, MissTiler, our very own double JOTM winner is right in Tottenham, so will let you know that she's ok as soon as I hear anything. ...

 

[jay]

Might of burnt their own fingers too they burnt down the Sony factory (according to the news) because they couldn't find any Play stations to steal

 

[user123]

Just checked on Sharon's facebook page and 16 hours ago she posted

"working in Norfolk most of this week and hoping my flat will still be there when I get back!" She has posted since having a good rant, so I gather she's ok,...

 

[user123]

On a positive note on twitter people are following @Riotcleanup, a bunch of volunteers helping to clean up the riot mess and gathering more and more support, so that's really good news community involvement, all power to them.

 

[peteablard]

I for one wish the police could steam in and sort the trouble out but unfortunately society is to blame IMO for lack of action. Back in the 60's if there was trouble the police could go in with their truncheons, crack a few heads and sort it out. With todays compensation culture as soon as the police get tough with anyone they'll call foul play and said policeman gets suspended pending an investigation and whoever they have been rough with then gets awarded several thousand pounds in compensation....... Or something like that!
These brainless idiots know how the system works and know that basically the police have their hands tied. So a big thanks to all the do gooders, solicitors, judges etc that over the years have seemed to favour the criminals. We now have a police force that can't effectively do it's job. Well Done to you! Rant over:incazzato:

 

[Del W]

It is not a police FORCE anymore. Its now called a police SERVICE. :mad2: (a service does not work if you dont have the man power/training/leadership/equipment/funds etc. to do the job)

 

[user123]

If any of you are on twitter, follow #riotwombles, the people behind @riotcleanup, unbelievably uplifting efforts going on there, over night practically @riotcleanup have got 51,889 followers and people are joining in from everywhere to help, the updates are amazing! Why is that not talked about yet in the media? People willing to help are fast outnumbering those morons... brilliant brilliant brilliant, makes perfect reading.. Herea couple of photos of people waiting to be allowed in by the police to clean up, no hoodies there, and already cleaning in Clapham..

yfrog Photo : http://yfrog.com/h42vfzvj Shared by ashlingoc

Operation #RiotCleanUp #Hackney #LondonRiots on Twitpic

http://twitpic.com/63cg08

http://mashable.com/2011/08/09/riot-cleanup-london/

 

[user123]

Groan... the Health and Safety Brigade has caught up with things...

London riots: community clean-up hit by safety rules - Telegraph