The riots in London

They were playing this footage on the news, I don't even know how many times I've walked down that street, it's so weird. Apparently they tried to burn down the manor house/museum/gallery at the end of the street, as well as the park around it

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNuAq1CBB98[/YOUTUBE]

This is 10/15 mins away from me on the bus
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXuoHDAQUbI[/YOUTUBE]

David Cameron gives a statement
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BSlP9w0apY[/YOUTUBE]

 

It's a pretty sad sight, indeed. While I'm not one to promote heavy-handed justice, I do hope that the main instigators will get cought and propery shown that you can't get away guilt-free.

Arguably, between 50,000BC and about the late 19th century, this was basically the way the entire world worked. Yet, it was hardly a crime-free paradise. In fact, crime levels are lower now than they were in those days.

And even today, countries where there's a death penalty (or worse: summary killings) aren't any safer than countries that abolished it ages ago. Killing lots of people is rather visible (as is things like deporting peopkle based on social group or ethnic background, as suggested above), but remarkably ineffective in the long run.

 

I just don't get how people think destroying the poor areas they live in will make their lives better.

It's insanity. Shows really how humanity is doomed. In the end our species is vile, cruel and ultimately a small petty brutal race.

Acts like these undermine all the beauty humanity has created. So disheartening.

 

I'm pissed off about how many jobs have been lost and how much this is gonna cost people in damage. Has anyone seen this video (below)? They set fire to the Sony Center in Enfeild. ‎750 jobs lost and millions of pounds of inventory destroyed. Including all the stock in the UK from loads of indie record labels (XL, Beggars, Warp, Rough Trade, Domino, 4AD, Sub Pop, Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Drag City, Thrill Jockey, FatCat, Kompakt, Mute, Ninja Tune, Vice, and Soul Jazz) as well has loads of electronics.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dK5ecuxXyYM&feature=player_embedded[/YOUTUBE]

 

Riots? Looks like your average night out in Glasgow city centre to me I kid obviously.

Of course these riots are sad and despicable and all the rest of it. It just seems to be senseless violence for the sake of it. Yet condemning it isn't enough. We must try and understand what is going on. Just because we don't agree with something doesn't mean we can't try and understand it. I certainly don't agree with any sort of violence like this, never mind violence thats directed towards ordinary working peoples' homes and small businesses. Yet I've been thinking about why people have resorted to this. No doubt the issues are complex ones but I have tried to put meaning behind these seemingly random outburts of violence.

There is a large population of young people in this country totally disillusioned with what the world has to offer them. Many live in deprived areas. In fact, its estimated that 3.9 million children live in poverty in the UK. Too many young men and women are consigned to the scrapheap. At the moment, almost one million 16-24 year olds aren't in any sort of job, training or education. This is predicted to rise to 1.2 million in the next five years. With no hope or prospects for a better future, many young people will inevitably turn to drugs, gangs, crime and violence. Throw in apparent mistreatment at the hands of police (especially towards ethnic minorities) and anger and resentment has built up. Its exploded into violence in the last couple of days, toward their own communities. Why would anyone attack their own communities? Perhaps its because they don't feel like they even belong to their own communities.

"There is no such thing as society". Its a phrase that for me sums up Thatcherism, and its still the prevalent ideology in Britain today. From the 80s Tory government to thirteen years under New Labour, and back to this Tory government (I prefer to say Tory as opposed to Coalition, because I don't see where Lib Dems have had any sort of input), Thatcherism has been the sole idealogy of this country. And yet a generation of young people have been left behind as a result. Its sad that people are resorting to these awful actions, but not really surprising. And with yet more economic hardship apparently heading our way, is it going to get get any better? Probably not. There is a great deal wrong in this country right now, and it has developed over decades. I'm sure with a great deal of investment and effort, these problems could be resolved. As always though, our politicians - on all sides - have no will or desire to do anything about it.

 

well, some trees next to a church 10 mins walk from me is on fire. I can hear sirens heading up the main road across the park. All the shops are closed, the jewelers had its metal cover pulled off and the windows smashed.

 

There are a few (minor) African countries and Singapore who has the following law:
If you steal you loose anything from a digit to a whole limb. It depends on the size of the theft and the severity of the theft. A police officer will be dispatched to where the crime occurred, when all evidence has been reviewed, the police officer determine what is the punishment and it will and shall be carried out on the same date and place as where the crime occurred.

To show you that this actually works here is my husband's experience when he went to Singapore.

He was out shopping and been shopping the whole day. When after a long while he found that his purse was gone. He reported it first to the police officers at the police station cause all his identification documents and US dollars that he had was in it. That night he went to the hotel and searched his room to no avail. For the next 3 days he searched everywhere he knew he was and at the end of that day's business hours he came into a shop he knew he visited before.

After searching and speaking to the owners he found his purse at the last place where he left it. What was surprising to him, that no one touched it, not even the shop owners. All the money was still in it and everything else as well.

Here in Namibia, theft is on the rising, specially from the central regions and southwards. In the Northern part is a place called "Wamboland" its a place where the traditional leaders rule and the country's laws do not apply. There theft is taken as a very serious offence and the whole village takes part in the punishment of the accused. It's not without its problems either. Due to its vicinity to the Angolian boarder, the Angolians comes in and they steal from the people there. Of course the traditional leaders can not punish them or do anything about it. In situations like this the country's laws do apply, but due to corrupt practices of the police all the Angolian has to do is wave a few counterfeit US Dollars in front of his nose and he walks scot free.

I think it would be better if all the countries adopt these kind of laws and we will see theft, and break-ins drop down dramatically, so that if and when a riot does occur, the shop owners experience little or no damage.

 

Theres a riot in manchester now, we all had too run out quickly at work :lol:, when I go back to work, theres gonna be sooo much crap to sort out...

 

Tell that to the dimwits involved.

A 150 year old furniture store was burnt down. that place has been passed down from generation to generation in that family only to have it selfishly destroyed. shops broken into and trashed, houses, cars, bombing in crydon..
They have absolutely no concern for the lives they are ruining, the money they're costing, the damage they're doing.
"A woman was seen TRYING out a pairs of shoes before looting them"
They really are just taking the piss, it's such a disgrace :bang:

 

It's sickening to think people want to ruin their lives and the lives of others in this manner. I just pray that everyone in the areas affected is safe.

 

There was a bunch of riots in Wolverhampton today, not ten minutes away from where I live. My friend who lives in central Wolvo had to evacuate from his home today because they stormed the carpark underneath his flat. Thankfully the police managed to quiet it down this evening, but it's been rather scary over here today.

 

Haha, sure you can. I suspect you wouldn't be the only Englishman wanting to escape the Tory government :lol: That's about the only reason people seriously think about getting independence. I certainly don't want independence for any nationalistic reason, and I don't really know anyone who does. People don't mind being part of the UK, but what frustrates most of us is the fact we always get a right/centre-right government. We hate the Tories up here. Yet we have a Tory government. I think a lot of people would like to split for political reasons.

Interestingly, despite Scotland having a lot of the same social problems as England, we've seen no riots here at all. Maybe that has something to do with government, the Scottish government is seen mostly as quite a caring one whereas the UK government is seen as quite ruthless. But I don't know. It's a complex issue, but one in which we need to try and understand. Otherwise, this problem isn't going to go away.

 

Camerons my boy, as is Boris.

I cant' find it since it was on my laptop and im too lazy to search for it now, but there is a picture of them looting a Pound Land and one woma- ... girl, is running out so pleased with herself and she has four items. I mean seriously, they should all be locked up for sheer stupidity if nothing else.

 

:roflmao: Sorry but that is funny, why would she be so happy looting out of Pound Land :lol:

 

protesting is one thing, and fine... but the moment you destroy other peoples property, and steal things that do not belong to you, thats when you deserve to rot in jail.

I think that opertunist escalated the protests to riots just so they could be lawless under the cover of the crowds.

 

Cos Pound Land is amazing, it's so cheap!...... Oh, wait... yeah that doesn't work.
Still Pound Land is the one is you want a giant Toblerone for a pound.(!)