UK riots..

[chrisfpv]

Talk about crazy!

David Cameron has said Parliament will be recalled on Thursday to deal with the "sickening scenes" of rioting in London and across the country.

Police have struggled to contain what has become the worst rioting in decades as crowds of youths smashed windows, emptied shops of their goods and set properties on fire.

More than 450 people have been arrested in the capital since Saturday, including three overnight on suspicion of attempted murder after two police officers were hit by a car in Fulton Road, Brent.

Trouble also flared in Birmingham, Bristol, Liverpool and Nottingham overnight.

David Cameron flew back to Britain to chair the Government's emergency committee Cobra and meet police chiefs, having been on a family holiday to Tuscany.

Speaking outside Number 10, he described the violence as "criminality pure and simple" and said the Government would do "everything necessary to restore order to Britain's streets and to make them safe for the law abiding".

He said 16,000 police officers will be on the streets tonight and that all Metropolitan Police leave has been cancelled.

The force will also be helped with reinforcements from 26 forces across the country, Sky News understands.

Mr Cameron warned those involved in the trouble they were not only risking their own communities, but their own futures, adding: "If you are old enough to commit these crimes you are old enough to face the punishment."

Wednesday's international football friendly between England and Holland at Wembley has been cancelled due to security fears.

On Monday Home Secretary Theresa May condemned "sheer criminality" as police and emergency services were overwhelmed by a third consecutive night of trouble.

The unrest started in broad daylight in parts of east London before spreading as darkness fell.

Scotland Yard was forced to use armoured police vehicles to push back more than 150 people in Clapham Junction, south London, as the disorder hit shops and businesses.

The force said in 24 hours they received 400% more 999 calls than normal (almost 20,800 compared to 5,400).

London Fire Brigade said it experienced its busiest night in recent history, tackling fires across the capital.

It answered 2,169 999 calls between 6pm last night and just after 7am this morning, around 15 times the number it would get on an average day.

Youths also took to the streets of Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool throughout the night in what officials described as 'copycat' attacks.

West Midlands Police arrested about 140 people in Birmingham after youths rampaged in the city centre, near the landmark Bullring shopping arcade.

Cars were set alight in Liverpool, and police officers were pelted with makeshift weapons including golf clubs as they tried to contain the gangs.

In Bristol, residents were urged to avoid the city centre by Avon and Somerset Police after 150 rioters hit the streets.

London bore the brunt of the violence however, with more than 1,700 extra officers deployed to all corners of the capital.

The "opportunistic" attacks saw major fires set in Hackney and Peckham. A man in Croydon was also injured in a shooting.

A furniture shop in Croydon which had been in the same family for five generations, in a 100-year-old building, was completely destroyed after being torched.

A massive blaze at a Sony distribution centre near Enfield, north London, also sent plumes of thick smoke across the sky.

Sony has warned customers that CD and DVD deliveries may be affected as this was the Britain's main depot for these goods.

Police cells in London are now full.

A spokesman said: "A significant number of arrests were made overnight, leading to all our cells being full and prisoners being taken to surrounding forces."

The Metropolitan Police is planning to publish CCTV images of those involved in the violence.

Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin said: "Those involved in criminality should be under no illusion that we will pursue you."

In Hackney, rioters, many wearing hoods and masks, were confronted by police lines spanning the streets, occasionally moving forward to push the groups back.

Scotland Yard said between 250 to 300 people had gathered on the Pembury Estate, setting alight cars and throwing petrol bombs.

Looting and outbreaks of violence was also recorded by officers in Newham, Lewisham and Bethnal Green, where more than 100 people looted a Tesco premises and two officers were injured.

South of the river in Peckham, teams of riot officers were seen charging at fleeing troublemakers after a major fire was started at a shop adjoining a Greggs bakery.

Experts have estimated that the clean-up will cost tens of millions of pounds but councils across the city have already sent out teams to start.

A Twitter account called @riotcleanup attracted more than 18,000 followers in a matter of hours today and was helping people to co-ordinate their efforts.

Those using the social networking site to co-ordinate clean-up efforts are calling themselves the "Riot Wombles" and are now using the hashtag riotwombles to arrange meeting times and places.

Consecutive days of violence came after a peaceful protest in Tottenham on Saturday, which followed the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan, 29, on Thursday.

An inquest has heard that the father-of-four died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Colin Sparrow, deputy senior investigator for the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), told the brief hearing that their "complex investigation" could take four to six months.

The inquest has been adjourned until December 12.

The Guardian quoted a source as saying that initial tests suggested a bullet found lodged in a police radio after Mr Duggan's death was police issue.

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16046136

[nstg8a]

yobbos, pure and simple.

see the footage on aca (i think) of the two guys helping themselves to an injured guys belongings??? need a beating morons like that.

[b2tf]

Bring in the army and belt the little punks back into submission.

And to think they sent us 'criminals' out here..........

[chrisfpv]

Here's a link to some videos of the riots on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7H02HSip_c

http://www.u.tv/News/In-Pics-UK-riot...7-39907da4e636

All leave for Met officers has been cancelled and the ranks patrolling the streets of London will be boosted from 6,000 to 16,000 on Tuesday night.

In a stern message to young looters, David Cameron said: "If you are old enough to commit these crimes, you are old enough to face the consequences."

Parliament has been recalled to discuss the disorder in a special sitting on Thursday, after an emergency Cobra meeting to deal with the violence raging across London and beyond.

Riots, looting and arson attacks have caused chaos for three nights running - with major blazes in the Hackney, Peckham, Croydon and Enfield areas.

One Hackney resident, Sean Kennedy, told UTV: "It's literally happening at the end of my road - I didn't sleep at all last night.

"You don't go out of the house, or you don't make eye contact with anyone or do anything to draw attention to yourself - because you don't know what's going to happen.

"It's just random kids, 14 or 15-year-olds on their bikes, stopping people on the street just to cause a fight."

He added that he was more angry than disappointed by the scenes and said he felt the police should use stronger tactics - like the water cannons used in Northern Ireland.

"I'm watching it now on the tv and these kids are just breaking windows, taking games, tvs ... because they think they're entitled to it and they think they're going to get away with it," Mr Kennedy said.

"And a lot of them probably will get away with it."

But Mr Cameron has insisted those responsible will be brought to justice and that court proceedings will be sped up to deal with them as quickly as possible.

Hundreds of people have already been arrested - including three held on suspicion of trying to murder a police officer, who was injured by a car while trying to stop looters.

Scotland Yard has also released CCTV footage of rioters - including many who didn't even bother to try to hide their identities.

"We will have photographs and evidence that we will use to identify you and bring you to justice," Commander Simon Foy said.

"We will not tolerate the violence that has been seen in parts of London."

At least 44 officers were injured amid the disturbances.

Disorder also broke out overnight in Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol.

Home Secretary Theresa May who - like Mr Cameron - also cut short her holiday to return to the crisis-hit city, branded the events "sheer criminality".

"The violence we've seen, the looting we've seen, the thuggery we've seen - this is sheer criminality, and let's make no bones about it," she said.

As the massive clean-up operation continues, it's thought the total cost could run into tens of millions of pounds.

Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has expressed confidence in safety and security at the London 2012 Games in the wake of the rioting in the capital.

Organisers are pressing ahead with test events in the city, including the beach volleyball at Horse Guards Parade on Tuesday.

An IOC spokesman said: "Security at the Olympic Games is a top priority for the IOC.

"It is, however, directly handled by the local authorities, as they know best what is appropriate and proportionate. We are confident they will do a good job in this domain."

A number of football fixtures have fallen foul of the disorder - including England's friendly against Holland which was due to be played in London on Wednesday night.

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Bring in the army and belt the little punks back into submission.

And to think they sent us 'criminals' out here..........

2 Things... the army cant be used against its people (not unless its through an act of parliament) and the army is not trained in riot control and never will be.

Do you see the Syrian army using batons? or using tanks?

[SEZ213]

I don't get it...there was a peaceful protest after a man was shot by police, and then riots...?

I didn't think the bobbies carried guns for starters? Secondly, where has the rest of the violence sprung from?

[BHDOGS]

its what happens when you water down a police forces powers and introduce light sentencing expect to see it in Australia in 10-20 years

[b2tf]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

2 Things... the army cant be used against its people (not unless its through an act of parliament) and the army is not trained in riot control and never will be.

Do you see the Syrian army using batons? or using tanks?

Somehow I dont think Britain is in the same league as Syria. If the police cant keep numbers up to where they need to be they will have no choice but to use the army.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by b2tf

Somehow I dont think Britain is in the same league as Syria. If the police cant keep numbers up to where they need to be they will have no choice but to use the army.

And it is not like they have any experience in sorting riots.

Where is Northern Ireland again?

[|||]

i blame the parents.

[fmc351]

Apparently it's a result, well the catalyst anyway (still no excuse), of members of an armed police unit (CO19, which Im not sure if its a typo or anotehr unit, I learned from the Bill the armed unit SO19 lol) following a known criminal. The crim spotted them and is alleged to have pointed a gun at them, they shot him dead. There were reports that the crim fired first with a bullet lodging in a police officers radio so the shoot was justified. Turns out the police fired two shots, one missing the crim, the other hitting him fatally, the police radio was hit by the bullet that missed the crim, and Ive heard no statement about whether the crim actually fired a shot or was even armed.

This is in response (or stated to be anyway) to that report which left people thinking there was a cover up. According to a couple of friends on another forum (live in the UK, the above assessment came from them too) there were reporters stating they saw plenty of crims, plenty of looting etc but no cops anywhere. So much for healthy budgets.

[vztrt]

Interesting the X-factor starts over there and there is mass rioting.....coincidence??

[WMD351]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

I don't get it...there was a peaceful protest after a man was shot by police, and then riots...?

I didn't think the bobbies carried guns for starters? Secondly, where has the rest of the violence sprung from?

The background to the current riots are convoluted. In 1985 a notorious riot on the Broadwater Farm Estate after Cynthia Jarrett, an African Caribbean woman, died during a police search of her home, later saw a Policeman, PC Keith Blakelock killed. That lead to years of mistrust between Police and local communities, not helped by the fact that parts of North London, around Tottenham remain to this day areas of ongoing economic deprivation.
The latest incidents over the weekend appear to have been sparked after a peaceful protest outside Tottenham’s police station over the fatal shooting of local man Mark Duggan, killed during an alleged gunfight with police on Thursday, was reportedly hijacked by thugs and looters.

http://eu.techcrunch.com/2011/08/08/...londons-riots/

[Road_Warrior]

The UK has plenty of anarchists that jump at any opportunity to start trouble. Anyone who has spent a bit of time living there would have seen traces of them. That and the fact that borders with the rest of Europe are relatively porous means that fellow anarchists from across the continent pop over for a visit to participate. Many of them simply go from place to place, following the trouble and they know full well where there is angst and disenfranchisement in the community. Like in Tottenham for example.

The government and the Police should have recognised yesterday, not today, that they were dealing with hard core anarchists that were trying to incite riots; blind freddy could have seen this simply from watching the news. Henceforth they should have dispensed with the batons and riot shields and rhetoric yesterday and started using bean bag rounds a day ago.

[FGII-XR6]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

I don't get it...there was a peaceful protest after a man was shot by police, and then riots...?

I didn't think the bobbies carried guns for starters? Secondly, where has the rest of the violence sprung from?

it was a specialised armed unit after a known crim who was armed with a hand gun. they need to use the same methods they used with the IRA riots

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by Sezzy

I don't get it...there was a peaceful protest after a man was shot by police, and then riots...?

And which fine, upstanding citizen pulls a (fake) gun on police, and expects to get away with it?

I'm on the Police's side here, and I just hope that those criminals who are looting, and setting things on fire get the book thrown at them. It isn't as if they won't get caught on CCTV in the UK...

[earlybird]

This is a sad state of affairs for all those people that are in hiding from this Moronic crowd of Fools who are involved in the looting and burning of London.
I feel for the people of England and hope it stops soon.

[GASWAGON]

Army please.... Or this will get way out of control and become popular.. There all aged 15-25 and got nothing better to do....apparently all organised on Facebook too.... Bloody technology.

[cheap]

This will happen again, riots seem to be some right of passage for each generation of English society...

[WMD351]

[Scott]

Here is an extract from an email between myself and one of my colleagues in Birmingham today:

It's really not good at all, bordering on anarchy. It's just disaffected gang culture spilling out, mindless thuggery descending into common theft. Just makes us all sick to the core to be honest. I'm fed up by people telling me they're on the edge of society and coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, There's always plenty of work if you look for it and you have the right attitude, these people are just thugs and vandals. Funny that the shops getting broken into are Dixons, Sony, etc.. Hmmm, get me that 42 inch plasma that I deserve...

[geckoGT]

This is without doubt one of the most sensitive subjects on the boil at the moment. Treat it with the respect it deserves, there are innocent people in harms way right now, this could (and nearly did) happen in our back yard.

The next person that mentions shooting civilians will cop warning points, maybe a holiday.

[creative]

Originally Posted by geckoGT

This is without doubt one of the most sensitive subjects on the boil at the moment. Treat it with the respect it deserves, there are innocent people in harms way right now, this could (and nearly did) happen in our back yard.

The next person that mentions shooting civilians will cop warning points, maybe a holiday.

yes it is a sensitive subject but unfortunately people are going to side with the vigilanty aspects. be it right or wrong, the UK has been screwed for a long time and this has been on the cards for a long time.... in fact, its one of the reasons I left.

I dealt with people like this day in day out and I can assure you that the only language they understand is violence.

whilst I may be playing devils advocate I dont think this thread should die. I have many friends affected by what is going on over there at the moment and I feel the police should be given the powers back and be allowed to do their job... If that means taking a baton to someone, then so be it as it will only be a matter of time before the public take it upon themselves to instill justice and protect what they have worked hard for.

[RiTz]

I've got mates over there that I chat to on Pal ( instant messaging ).. One is riot squad ( on holidays atm.. Although not for much longer by the sound of it) . One works with intelligence ..she said they are 24hr command now and she stays at work till 'finish'... The other is a young lad who lives in London and no one has heard from in a couple of days. I hope they all manage to stay safe 

[Mickxr8]

Am I just dumb ? , cant understand this `mob mentality` , 9/10 ths of theses people probably dont even know or care what started it , just `yeah a riot lets bash some heads` sad state of affairs atm ...

[Spudz27]

I listen to the news and each citizen they interview wants either the army or for the police to use force against these thugs. I heard one expert say if it is good enough for the irish why not the english. But as usual the whole human rights issue comes up. In times like this, if your participating in the violence etc, in my mind you have given up your basic rights. What amazes me is why the original riot began, I am not going to go into my thoughts there as I would be breaking the t&c. I hope this gets sorted soon.

[LTDHO]

Finally, London gets some colour!

Judging by the reports it has spread to other major cities. You would have thought they would have prepared for this.

I don't know how this all started. I doubt most of those in the riot would know (or care for that matter) what started it.

[geckoGT]

Originally Posted by Spudz27

I hope this gets sorted soon.

I am sure we all do, with the absolute minimum number of innocent people involved, preferably none.

[NC_Lane]

What goes around comes around.....

[blueoval]

I have family from England staying in our home for 2 weeks and they are gob smacked at what is going on in their home country. It seems there is no letup and very little being done about it to regain control.

It seems as though 90% of rioters are using 'hoodies' as a mark or cloak of resistance to cover their identity. Perhaps the police need to make an effort to hold up anyone willing to cover their heads with hooded jumpers or other items. Im probably barking up the wrong tree with that, but it looks like it's a regular outfit Im seeing on the news.