How Could the Riots Change Great Britain?
Aug 10th, 2011 | 5 responses
How could the riots change Great Britain? The Telegraph’s Robert Colvile gives us this list of 10 ways.
Meanwhile GO HERE and watch two almost giddy teen rioters explaining why they’re doing what they’re doing (to “show the rich people”).’
UPDATE: Meanwhile, the (always must read) Christian Science Monitor reports that the British government is now moving towards tougher tactics:
The fact that it took British police days to quell rioting and looting in London’s streets – and that it continues elsewhere – has many British asking why the police are so reluctant to turn to more aggressive tactics.
While police brought much of London under control overnight Tuesday, residents wondered what took them so long, the Monitor reported today.
“It’s good to see so many police on the streets, but where were they last night when everything was going off?” lawyer Samantha Jones, who lives in [Clapham Junction, in South London]. “People were definitely fearful last night about what happened and frightened. This area is normally really buzzy this time of night, but not tonight. I don’t know whether they’re still scared or intimidated by all the police but people seem to just want to go home … like me.”
The British government has now authorized the use of water cannons and plastic and rubber bullets in quelling the riots (the latter of which has have never been officially used by police on the British mainland), but the permission comes several days after riots and looting turned parts of London into a smoldering husk – too late, according to many London residents.
5 Responses to “How Could the Riots Change Great Britain?”
Why should banksters, traders and Corporate CEOs be the only who can steal everything that isn’t nailed down with impunity?
Exactly right QF. That goes to a point I made earlier today. Terrible looting can take place quietly and at the hands of respectable appearing people. Our own financial systems and govt. come to mind. The rioting if anything is more honest in that is out in the open and doesn’t pretend to be anything but rioting. Anthony Burgess (a brit) comes to mind with A Clockwork Orange. With a greater crackdown I expect we will see that reference more and more. I am NOT excusing or justifying the rioting by any means, but I don’t know why anyone should be terribly surprised by it either.
@QF
The problem, of course, is that they’re destroying their own part of town. You know, “do what I say or I’ll hurt myself”. That’s not very effective.
If they meant what they said, they’d have said it in the middle of a gated community.
Prof, they don’t consider it to be “thier own part of town”, they don’t consider any of it to be theirs. That’s part of the problem.
I wonder how aggressive the police would have become had the rioters turned towards wealthier areas. Something tells me that governments are more than willing to let poor people burn down their on areas, but would become extremely aggressive once those fires started to burn in affluent areas.