London Riots

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Last post made 12 years ago by Lipstick
blueday
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  • blueday
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  • I don't know if you will have seen the London riots on your TV screens but they appear to be getting way out of hand.

    It all started when a policeman shot a young man whilst in the back of a taxi after reports that he was carrying a gun.  They have made no statement about the incident and since the shooting, people took to the streets to get answers.  No answers have been forthcoming and what was a fairly calm "protest", has turned into violent and dangerous rioting.  Police have been hurt, locals have been hurt, shops, businesses and houses burnt to the ground. 

    16,000 police will take to the streets tonight after reinforcements have been sent to London from neighbouring counties.  All police officers leave has been cancelled in London and Parliament are reconvening due to this terrible rioting.

    This country is on the brink of a very serious depression.  Food prices have soared, utility bills have increased dramatically, car insurance has gone through the roof and those that are working, have had their pay frozen for at least 2 years.  It's getting to the point where people are having to choose between food or heat.  The job situation is also dire. 

    I'm not sure where I'm going with this post but throw all those things in the pot and you get yourself unrest and anger. 

    I just can't see an end to this right now and I wonder how they will stop this as rioting is spreading to other cities too.

    Have you seen it on the TV?  What are your thoughts about all this?

    blue

  • Yes blue it's been on our news since yesterday and it does seem to be intensifying...how sad.I'm afraid it might spread because of the reasons listed above.People everywhere seem to be fed up but their anger and the way they are handling it is unfortunately not going to solve things for anyone.Blue,do you live close to London??

  • Fortunately, no Rosebud but my fear is that as this is spreading across the country and I do live in a city, I wonder how long it will be before it hits here.

    The sad thing is that it has turned into mindless violence and looting which won't solve anything.

    blue

  • Let's hope that the police can contain it.I'm all for peaceful demonstrations but this seems to be anything but that.I can understand the anger about the economy,no jobs and just the general mess we are all in right now but there has to be a better way to bring change.My thoughts are with you blue!!

  • It's on the front page when I turn on my computer.

    I had no idea it stemmed from a young man being shot while in the back of a taxi. Reminds me of the LA riots after the Rodney King verdict.

    Mayhem, fires, destruction, deaths...nothing positive comes from these actions.  Once the mob mentality starts, it's hard to get it under control.

  • So true gabby and thank you Rosebud.

    I've just heard that they have closed one of the main shopping areas in our City centre.  Makes me wonder if the police have had a tip-off or they are just being very careful.

    I feel for the innocents who have lost their homes, their businesses and their lives.  I understand that another man has been shot in one of the London suburbs.  I should add that the British police do not carry armour as a matter of course and they will only arm themselves in exceptional circumstances.

    blue

  • The photo's are horrible.  Such destruction.

    I hope things don't progress to your area, Blue. 

    Stay safe!

  • i was just about to make a thread about these riots, these riots are totally outrageous, but being in the uk, it is scary....

    no one knows how and when it will end, and how to deal with it, the police are really stuck trying to get more officers they even trying to get retired officers and volenteers to help the police, but there is no motive as such, the motives are merely speculations, and until we get a proper motive for these riots we cant really deal with them as such, and yes its true what gabby said, once the mob mentality sets in it is very hard to solve it, because peer presure and such and its crazy, people dying its very sad... i hope soon they end... i wont give my personal views about what i believe could be the motive, because the cuts the conservatives are doing, is not yet confirmed to be the main motive more information needs to be found out for the motive to be found out....

    and yes these riots did stem from the death of a guy by police, but there has now been another death by police too yesterday the same way shot....

    so crazyness

    stay safe everyone

    LuckyRJ

  • Having lived through the Rodney King Riots in LA, they are very scary.
    I remember people used to warn me not to tell anyone what my nationality was...hah hah.
    People were setting apartments on fire across the street from where I lived...why burn innocent peoples' homes?
    LAPD stopped going out of their stations, they just built a barricade around themselves and forgot about everybody else.
    People were taking turns watching from the roof of our condo building, with rifles. surprise
    Others were protecting their homes/stores with rifles and shooting anyone who came near.
    There riots aren't so much about the police shooting a man, I feel, it is the economic strain taking it's toll on more than 50% of the population.
    It doesn't take much for a riot to start,in LA it was 12 people smashing cars and pulling people out at one intersection and you can Google Reginald Denny.
    IMHO, the police need to find those that are purposely harming others, assault or arson, and shoot them; once others see the police aren't screwing around, they'll quiet down.
    I do see the irony of shooting these people when, some say, the riots started from police shooting.
    Of course, people protesting Kelly Thomas' death, being beaten to death by Fullerton PD, but I doubt it will end in a riot.

    UK Riot Map - http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/aug/09/uk-riots-incident-map

  • That must have been really scary Nan.  How did you cope with it at the time?  It's not like you can stay away from it when it is on your doorstep.

    I think they have lost sight of what the original protest was about in London and now it's just violence/looting for the sake of it and that is why it's spreading to other large cities.

    Thanks for the map link Nan.

    blue

  • Sorry, London, this is the end result of what happens when a nation borrows too much, spends too much, creates a welfare state and entitlements, and taxes too much.

    This will happen in the USA soon...just watch.  People need to kick their addiction to government. 

  • nan,

    I don't need to google Mr. Denny. I can still see him being yanked from his trunk.  It's an image that will be with me forever.  That and a man being spray painted and urinated on as he lie helpless on the ground.  Sick.  Evil.

    I can't imagine what you experienced during the LA riots. 

    Doc, You're right.  Too many people are lazy, self entitled blood suckers who think it's the government (our) job to support them and their families.

  • It was horrible Gabby, I remember watching the news and seeing this poor guy being beaten with a fire extinguisher and them breaking a cement block over his head.
    He went through six months of facial reconstructive surgery and has seizures and has severe parkinsons.
    He was interviewed just last year and he couldn't finish the interview because he stuttered so bad.
    Granted, that is just one person in that event; there were several people who were killed and raped.
    You could hear the gunshots all day and all night, I didn't leave the house for almost 5 days.
    I feel for the people of England as the police were just like LAPD, slow to respond and they didn't call in the military until almost the 5th day.

  • Blue,

    It's deplorable and sorry to say i have not heard of the recent troubles. I feel your emotions through every word you wrote and completely understand. It's extremely painful to see your country that you love so much start to decay.

    It has become a world epidemic and a scary one at that. I don't know what the answer is but all i can say is tell yourself this too shall pass. I have been saying this for quite awhile now myself.

    Having the privilege to recently visit your country i have soft spot for it now. I think what makes me more sad is not so much what is happening to your country but what it is doing to the  people of that great land.

    Especially for people like you and the stress it causes. And if i could i'd give you a big hug right now. I truly get your worry and concern.........

    Lips
  • It is so sad, and there are those who want to protest peacefully and then there are those who want only violence and an excuse to rob and vandalize.  I think the mob mentality is a very dangerous thing.

  • Thank you Lips for your kind and heartfelt words.

    It seems the men of Enfield are taking to the streets to protect their shops, properties and families saying that the police are not doing their jobs properly.  I'm not sure if this is a good move or not as it can only antagonise the rioters.

    A young man, injured and dazed helped to his feet and then robbed

    See it here

    Sick sick sick.

    blue

  • Blue,I've been watching what is going on in England and I see where it was quieter in London but that it seems to be spreading to other areas.I hope you are safe and doing ok.I also watched the video with the young man on it and it is soooooooo sad.Let's just take advantage of someone who is already dazed and confused!! You mean so much to alot of us here so I think a group hug is in order.Lets hope this is over soon.

  • I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what was going on. Very sad times.

  • omg....I forgot that you are there too froggy.....how are doing thru all this froggy??Hope where you are,you are safe too!!

  • I'm a few hours from London so all is well here thx  kiss


  • I'm a few hours from London so all is well here thx  :-*
           I'm sooooo glad that you and blue are ok.It's really sad we cannot say that about everyone there that has to deal with this unrest exclamation I'm afraid these are  scary  times. I guess all we can do now is hope for the best.:-* thumbs_up
  • Blue, I pray for your safety.

    Folks, again, this is proof of what happens when people get addicted to government.

  • I don't know about the addicted to government thing.  We can't get away from the government- it seeps into every aspect of our lives.  Almost like the air that we breathe.  Way too much of it. 

    Seems more like fed up with government. 

    The rioting is awful, but there is always a flash point.  The shooting was just like the last lone snowflake that falls on the roof and causes it to cave in.  It will take time to rebuild the peace.  Those of you in the UK take special care to be safe. 

    I also agree it will probably soon be spreading to the USA.  People are so desperate for jobs and food and providing for their families, but we brought a lot of it on ourselves, or, some of us did.  There is too much disparity in the distribution of wealth, and the wealthy continue to flaunt it in the faces of the poor.  The government has given us no choice but to try to take advantage of what they promise as relief.  But those providing the relief are needing relief now as well!  There is too much wasting of money and resources, too much fraud, too many corrupt officials.  God help us all on this little planet.

  • Thank you Doc and Rosebud.  I am safe and quite a way from it.

    blue

  • Chilly......don't blame rich/wealthy people.  When was the last time a poor person gave you a job??  We need a climate where more and more people are becoming rich.  But in England...and the USA, too....the government has done everything to discourage the development of wealth.

  • I'm not blaming anyone, Doc.  And SEVERAL "poor" people have given me jobs.  More poor people have helped me than rich.  In fact, no rich person has ever helped me out.  

    Not only does the government discourage the development of wealth, they protect the already wealthy and stifle all attempts by the poor to improve their finances.

    I am complaining about the wealthy spending millions and billions of dollars on something and that making the news.  I don't want to hear about their waste of money.  I don't want to see the 20 luxury vehicles in their garages.  All I see is the horrible waste and the faces of all the people that money they spent could have helped.  I don't want the wealthy to have to account to me their spending, nor do I appreciate having to have it thrown in my face on a daily basis.   If I were wealthy, it probably wouldn't last long as I would feel so bad spending so much on my own whims, and would probably give most of it away to truly help people less fortunate.  That's just me.  And that's probably why I'll never be wealthy.

  • I couldn't agree with you more chilly.I've had my ups and downs in life and the poor have have helped me out....maybe because they know how it feels to go without...than from any1 rich.I'm financially fine now and I'd help out the poor before I'd help out someone who was rich and lost it because of their own greed.I'm not saying all rich people but I know some who are sooooo full of themselves it makes me sick.

  • Chilly.....let's take one of those "luxury vehicles" you are jealous of.

    When a rich person buys one of those....assembly line workers get jobs, auto parts people jobs, transport drivers get jobs, mechanics get jobs, sales people get jobs, etc...

    We need to pray these evil rich people start buying more stuff!  We need the jobs!

  • If you say so, doc.  I just saw a $1 million car that's trying to make it's way to the market.  I'm sure the workers are all getting their fair share of the sales price (not).  I think people who can afford the cars like that should have one if they want it. 

    But let me say, how do you come up with saying I am jealous of the luxury vehicles?  I'm not jealous of anyone about anything, or jealous of a car.  I would be soooo happy to have a 20 or 30 year old vehicle to drive around in.  Does NOT mean I am jealous of every car owner in the world, though.  And I never said rich people are evil.  Why do you say they are?  I just don't like the fact that you can't go a day without being shown the luxury and excess of some wealthy people. 

    I am not happy with the inequality of wealth in the United States.  I would not want to be one of the top 1%.  It would break my soul.  I'm happy being in the 99% range, even though I am below poverty level.  It wasn't always that way.  I used to be mainstream middle class.  Maybe someday I'll get there again.

    I heard today, for example, that there are 400 people in the US who have more wealth than 155 million people combined. 

    http://www.alternet.org/economy/145705/the_richest_1%25_have_captured_america's_wealth_--_what's_it_going_to_take_to_get_it_back


  • I heard today, for example, that there are 400 people in the US who have more wealth than 155 million people combined. 
    [/quote]

    That's incredible Chilly.  They must be exceptionally rich people.

    On a good note regarding the riots in London and other cities, the young Malayan student (in England studying for his degree injured and robbed in the video previously posted -see below) has had money sent to him from well wishers.  They sent so much money, he is flying his parents over from Malaya to spend some time with him.  He wants to remain in England to finish his studies.

    [quote author=blueday link=topic=18794.msg182145#msg182145 date=1312961376]
    A young man, injured and dazed helped to his feet and then robbed

    See it here

    Sick sick sick.

    blue
  • Just thought I would give a bit of an update.

    All the rioting has ceased, many hundreds of the rioters and looters have been lucked up but now the prisons can't cope with the number of people in them because of it.

    They did do a "crimewatch" program on Thuirsday with lots of CCTV footage and no doubt, a few more will be hopefully locked up by the weekend.

    3 people also lost their lives whilst trying to protect their city/property.  They were deliberately and maliciously run over by a car being driven by one of the rioters - two of the three died at the scene and one died in hospital. 

    As the saying goes, all is quiet on the western front.

    blue

  • Thank God! I was watching a program about the riots the other night. The damage was unbelievable. I can't get the image of the woman jumping from the flaming building out of my head.

  • Was hoping all was well with this blue. Had to come and see if there was any updates. Now you can relax a bit.

    Lips

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