London Riots

There's only one story on my mind at the moment, and it put all the Arsenal transfer talk into perspective, with people's live been ruined and crushed by stupid idiots. All of this is happening on my doorstep too.

 Building burning in Tottenham

London is my City, and I've always lived here, so seeing it become overrun with gangs and mobs is very upsetting. Almost everyone in London will have at least one connection with the riots, be it knowing someone being sacked, or someone whose house was burned down, or even just seeing their local shop being smashed open on the news. All of this is happening in a major western city, about to hold the worlds biggest event in less than a years time.


The riots started in Tottenham, just miles from my North London home, after previously peaceful protests against police turned sour. Since the outbreak of violence on Saturday, the violence has spread to all corners of the city, and into other cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool & Nottingham. The  first protests which sparked the violence were against the killing of a local man by the police, but I bet 90% of the people rioting will even know his name.


Since then though criminals, arsonists and anarchists have hidden under the name of "protestors" to rip up and burn down their communities. If you asked the people burning down Reeves furniture shop, a family run business since 1867, what they were doing it for I doubt any could give a reputable answer. Let alone know the name of the man shot by police. Just tonight on Sky News a reporter asked a looter what she was doing this for and she replied "we is getting our taxes back init" is that how stupid our countries inhabitants have become?

Picture posted on twitter of looter

All of this has happened with little reaction from police too. They may be unprepared, and under staffed (especially since recent cuts) but surely a more hard line approach would have stopped the spreading of violence and looting across the city and country. After news of violence in other cities, I agree with the calls for the Army to become involved and eradicate the problem, but everything would have been every different in other situations.


At outbreaks of violence in football matches, tear gas is regularly turned on fans - of all ages - and has helps lower the problem of hooliganism in football undoubtedly. In Northern Ireland too, when riots occur Water hoses clear the masses of people and seem to stop and slow down the problem. Even at the student protests, the Police had a more hard line approach, and their actions were much less violent than the riots now.


With the police and Government finally starting to make an effort in stopping the troubles adequately, the riots may hopefully stop as soon as possible. But after the copycat riots across the city, it may be harder than it should have been.


The Police and leading politicians should take some blame over the violence and the way they have dealt with it. Over the last few nights apparently 16000 police have been out and will use the full force of the law to deal with the criminals.

The stupidity of people across the country has shown as the awful violence has spread, and people have died trying to protect their neighborhoods and communities. Thankfully things seem to have calmed down now, but we cannot forget the thuggery of so many people in our country which has ended and ruined innocent people's lives.