The Tottenham Riot

[Darren]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14435251

Usually it's something I'd expect to see in America, but East London was the scene for a riot last night over the fatal shooting by police of a black man. The pictures I've seen on BBC News look quite terrible with debris and burnt out buildings and lootings.
The thing is the man in question (a local gangster) had reportedly fired a gun at an officer whose life was only saved because his radio was in the path of the bullet, so surely the police were justified in their response.
However, he was seemingly very popular and leaves behind a small family.
This is the cost of gun crime.

[WhiteCrowNZ]

The Kaisar Chiefs predicted this ...

[Rob McCow]

It's totally unbelievable. Looking at the mess and the damage, it's just bizarre. I can't understand where this has come from, the details about the shooting that sparked it off are very lacking.

[Jason Thompson]

It's utterly absurd. They apparently started off protesting because they want 'justice', but the event they were protesting about only happened a couple of days ago, and the police are, as always, investigating it. Do they expect instant results? A firefight evdiently occurred, since the police didn't shoot their own man, so the person they shot was clearly armed and dangerous.

So, rather than wait for any kind of investigation, a whole crowd of people turned up in protest at the police for shooting a man under circumstances they know nothing about, and a few yobs in the crowd started a series of events that turned the whole place into a warzone. I am quite disgusted, as this just shows people at their worst.

[Darren]

It could have started as a peaceful demonstration which was hijacked by troublemakers.

[Jason Thompson]

It probably did, just as the tuition fee riots did, and just as I suspect most riots do.

[Anthony Williams]

Has anyone heard from Jonno - is he okay?

[Darren]

I thought he lived in Walthamstow!? Hope he's ok, not seen him on here for ages.

Here're photos taken by a very brave amateur photographer!

http://www.avforums.com/forums/photo...l#post15163149

[Dino]

http://www.london24.com/news/tottenh...mours_1_986850

Web rumours that more unrest is due this evening (Sunday) in areas near the riots in Tottenham, are under investigation by police.

Social network site Twitter is carrying reports that rioters plan to target shopping districts in Edmonton and Enfield town centre tonight.

Both locations are in the borough of Enfield, which is next door to Haringey borough – where violence flared in Tottenham last night.

This afternoon, parts of Enfield saw a bid by police to prevent disorder and protect property.

A heavy police presence is at Enfield Town train station and in the streets surrounding a shopping centre. A park has also been closed.

Police commander Adrian Hanstock confirmed the authorities know about the latest rumours circulating online.

“We are aware of various reports on social media networks of further disorder being planned and any intelligence will be assessed and actioned,” he said.

“A policing operation is in place across London and local officers are on the streets in Tottenham.”

Widespread unrest in Tottenham broke out after a peaceful march by around 300 people to Tottenham police station turned ugly.

Police made dozens of arrests, hospital treatment was required by many, and looters ransacked shops of goods during hours to disorder.

See how it turns out. Not good either way.

[Jason Thompson]

This whole business is getting ridiculous. What a bunch of pathetic, ill-educated, obnoxious, cowardly, violent thugs they all are. This has nothing to do with protesting against the police. You don't protest against police by attacking shops and buses and setting cars on fire. And they are clearly not doing this out of any sense of right or justice, as they are all covering their faces. Absolutely pathetic behaviour, and for what?

[SiHart]

I agree Jason. It just seems like violence for the sake of violence and it won't achieve anything at all.

[Jon Masters]

Curfew - roadblocks - troops who served in Northern Ireland - rubber bullets - tear gas.

Let's see how keen the mob are to pick a fight then.

[Si Hunt]

It's like the end of society.

And - oh! - our glorious leaders are slowly thinking about cutting short their holidays while the police put their lives at risk with batons and sheilds and - whoops, be careful not to actually hurt anyone or there'll be cries of "police brutality" from the poor lambs.

Well, sorry, but how many MORE nights of good, decent people having their livelihoods destroyed all over the country before we actually deal with them properly? These thugs have thrown away any right they had to justice now. Any point that might have made about police fairness has been lost, as they've shown all they are interested in is violence and cowardly looting.

It's time to get the army in, the teargas and the water cannons and restore order to our streets. Decent people need to feel safe again.

Or shall we wait another day for Big Dave to come back from the Maldives and hold his emergency meeting?

Si.

[duncan]

I'm surrounded! I'm sat here just wasting time until it's time to leave for gatwick, but, Woolwich, thamesmead, bexleyheath and dartford are all reporting trouble. Bexleyheath and Dartford are my only two routes out of here to Gatwick. I hope we get there.

[Si Hunt]

Dartford's not that far away from us! It's like the scum are rising up to claim the country.

And apparently Essex police are sending their bobby's to London to help out with the riots there.

So when they get here, we'll be defenceless!

Si.

[Awesome Wells]

These thugs have thrown away any right they had to justice now. Any point that might have made about police fairness has been lost, as they've shown all they are interested in is violence and cowardly looting.

It's time to get the army in, the teargas and the water cannons and restore order to our streets. Decent people need to feel safe again.

I don't know how "decent" you might consider me, but I would never feel safe in any society that denies justice and fairness to criminals. A lot of the rioters and looters deserve to be punished, of course, but only within the confines of the law; only within the confines of a fair justice system. Anything else - I'm not sure I even want to think about what this would entail - would be as much an affront to the idea of law and order as the rioting and the looting. Quite honestly, I'm horrified to see such an extreme, far-right reaction.

[Zbigniev Hamson]

Well, sorry, but how many MORE nights of good, decent people having their livelihoods destroyed all over the country before we actually deal with them properly?

Not that I don't agree something should be done, but let's not make this out to be more widespread than it is.

[Milky Tears]

Isolated incidents in Birmingham (reported earlier) and now Liverpool, according to Sky News.

[Si Hunt]

What I meant was, the point of protest has now been lost so if justice was needed for the guy who was originally shot, that point has been overshadowed and lost. No one is going to believe in the power of demonstration any more because these people clearly have no reason for riotting. I wasn't making a comment on how we should treat the thugs, let alone a "far-right extreme reaction"

Incidentally, a man was found in a car shot dead amid the riotting last night, but no-one seems to care about that. It's ok when the thugs shoot someone, just not the police.

Mr Hamson, riotting and looting was reported as far North as Leeds and Birmingham well before you made your post, since you picked me up on it.

Si.

[SiHart]

It's shocking how out of control this got. How it spread. How much senseless damage was done. And all over what exactly? This isn't protest, this is unthinking violence.

But Dave is right. However appalled we all are by it (and I hope we all are) justice has to be done within the confines of the law. Lets hope that everyone who's face has been shown in all the footage recorded is brought to justice.

Nice to see Boris and Dave are finally on their way back home. They should have been back days ago.

[Philipnet]

I'm concerned. I'm due to be in Croydon in two weeks time and hope this has all calmed down by then.

[SiHart]

Excellent article about why these riots have happened here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...ashes-out.html

[Rob McCow]

I don't understand why people are fussed about the Politicians coming back. It's not as if they can really do anything about all this right now. In the long term, maybe, but their policies would only affect change over the course of years and decades. Not over a weekend.

Although if this really is 'The Age of Austerity' and if we really are 'All in this together' then perhaps they shouldn't have gone abroad for their holidays in the first place!

[Jason Thompson]

Politicians are as entitled to holidays as the rest of us, so let's not start down that road. I don't understand the fuss about them coming home either, since it's not like they alone can solve the problems. What do people think? That the police won't function unless Boris Johnson comes back?

I do think, however, that it is time to stop pussy-footing around these looters and rioters and get the army in with water cannons and the like. Round up the buggers and lock them away so people can get on with living their lives and repairing the damage these selfish gits have done.

[Rob McCow]

it is time to stop pussy-footing around these looters and rioters and get the army in with water cannons and the like

While I appreciate the strenght of feeling, is that the right solution? Or will that just lead to more resentment and more riots? I read in one of the papers that a police baton charge helped to spark off the initial riot. Once the police are out there, on the street in their riot uniforms then the people have someone to be angry at and someone to blame.

My feeling is that the police need more resources and intelligence to break these riots up before they happen.