2011 London Riots

[MechaWave]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_England_riots

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gex_ya4-Oo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP-td3C55Yc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biJgILxGK0o

I don't know much about this but it's pretty important, especially to you English. Apparently this guy got shot by the police and stuff happened. See the links above for more info and videos of what's happening.

What do you guys think about this?

 

[Vinylic.]

Some of us were already talking about it.
A riot like this should not be made. It's getting way off. Pulvia should know what's up since he's close to the action.

 

[Spelt]

...Too soon?

 

[Pluvia]

Pulvia should know what's up since he's close to the action.

Technically I'm hundreds of miles away from the action, there are other people on smashboards who are actually from London, but I can give a UK view on it anyway.

Basically some gang member got himself shot and killed by the police (which is pretty impressive seeing as though only 1 person has been shot and killed by the police in London in this past 3 years, and only 21 people in this past 21 years, even though the force is only slightly smaller than New Yorks and protects a similar number of people) and then his family peacefully protested the police for doing that.

Then, I'm assuming it was his friends and gang members, took it upon themselves to riot. Then copycat riots started appearing around London and a few other places in England.

There's no logic behind why they're rioting. They're just chavs rioting because it's fun. They're not demanding anything or attacking anyone in particular, they're just wrecking their communities for ****s and giggles, listen:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14458424

Or watch them mug people they're pretending to help:

http://youtu.be/j2aQ6UuT5xk

Or look as the riot police have to save people from burning buildings caused by the rioters:

Spoiler

Litterally there's no logic behind it.

 

[OmegaXXII]

Why are they're riots in the first place? justcreates more violence and probably complicates things even more than they have to be imo.

 

[Teran]

I'm from London and I ****ing love it.

Most exciting thing that's happened since July 7th, although that was more exciting because I was somewhat caught up in that drama.

 

[OmegaXXII]

Shouldn't you be scared though?, I would, especially if there were bombings and such.

 

[Pluvia]

Why are they're riots in the first place? justcreates more violence and probably complicates things even more than they have to be imo.

Read this:

Litterally there's no logic behind it.

 

[Teran]

Shouldn't you be scared though?, I would, especially if there were bombings and such.

Fear is a bad way to live life.

Read this:

Tbh it's more to do with civil unrest, but whatever, riots are kinda like a domino effect and usually if they're continuing this long and they're this fierce, I'd like to think there's something simmering underneath.

Plus lots of criminals get to loot and do **** in the chaos of a riot.

 

[Fuelbi]

You british people should just sit down with the roiters over tea and crumpets and talk your problems out like old fashioned gentlemen

But yeah, this riot sounds ****ing stupid. These people probably just started it just for the hell of it or something

 

[Vinylic.]

I'm from London and I ****ing love it.

Most exciting thing that's happened since July 7th, although that was more exciting because I was somewhat caught up in that drama.

Respect points: -2

You should at least be concerned.

 

[Teran]

Respect points: -2

You should at least be concerned.

Why? I'm completely unscathed and that's not going to change.

 

[OmegaXXII]

Fear is a bad way to live life.

I agree, but like Tokyo mentioned, I would at least be concerned of my well being, maybe I'm just being a little paranoid here.

You british people should just sit down with the roiters over tea and crumpets and talk your problems out like old fashioned gentlemen

Ha, being a little stereotypic, aren't we?

 

[Teran]

Well I was born and raised in London so I'm used to all kinds of sticky messes.

No that is not an innuendo referencing my sexual escapades.

 

[Vinylic.]

^ what the hell did i just read.

 

[theeboredone]

I'm not sure what the reason was for this all starting. The media says it was related to a criminal suspect being gunned down by an officer after he shot first...this resulted in some protests in which a woman was beaten by the police...then the riots ensued.

My friend from England is telling me it has more to do with the economy and just the civil unrest. Not sure what to do believe...maybe the media is trying to cover it up for whatever reason?

In any case, these riots are freaking stupid. Just read a recent one where a guy tried to give cpr to three men only to find out one was his son...

Black Berry offered to help by using their GPS services to track down people in the riots...but a hacking group known as Team Poison threatened to expose a bunch of their info, due to their reasoning of "Just because their GPS location shows them near the riot, doesn't mean they are participating", which is reasonable to say.

Though there is a website where people can take pics and upload them for police to look at.

 

[MechaWave]

I'm starting to love Teran more and more.

 

[OmegaXXII]

Well I was born and raised in London so I'm used to all kinds of sticky messes.

No that is not an innuendo referencing my sexual escapades.

Dang, so i'm assuming that the UK must be pretty unsafe then, I don't know how I would ever live in peace knowing that.

I laughed at that second part.

I'm starting to love Teran more and more.

Eventually everybody does.

 

[Teran]

It's safe if you're not an idiot and also not a pansy.

It's also much safer if you don't really have a social life.

 

[SuperBowser]

Yeah, I'm not scared of the riots either. I've live in whitechapel for 5 years (one of the poorest areas of England and location of some riots). I mean, unless you live in a high priority area, there's no reason you should have any problems. If you see a riot taking place, take another route. If you think it's unsafe, don't walk around at night or by yourself. Don't carry expensive things with you. The end. My behaviour will be no different to the past 5 years.

I think there's lots of reasons people are taking part in the riots. Some just want free stuff. Some think they are "protesting" against the government. Some are just so disillusioned, angry and disconnected from society, they don't care about the harm they cause. A few are genuinely angry about the shooting.

It's obvious we have a societal problem, but I've noticed it for years. It's hard not to after living in Whitechapel for so long. The only thing that bothers me right now is that most of the rioters will never get caught for their crimes. Only the stupid ones will.


edit: i should add, the jerks have looted/destroyed our local Nando's, JJB Sports, Tesco and Muslim bank. Unless they want The Royal London Hospital or Sainsburys, there's not much else that's interesting round here. Except our precious PFC shops.

 

[MechaWave]

Eventually everybody does.

I always have, but it's growing.

 

[Mic_128]

There was some big soccer match that was canceled due to the rioting. Must be the first time the after-game riot started before the match?


Also pretty bad timing, since the Olympic comitee's there to check the preparations for next years olympics.

 

[Orboknown]

I know some people in the uk.They didnt seem that concerned either.It has quieted down by now right?
Teran you made me lol reading your comments on this thread.

 

[Sucumbio]

What of the reports that he was shot without provocation? Someone told me that the gun he was suspected of pulling on the police was actually in his glove box - unloaded - the whole time? And that the police covered it up, so they wouldn't be implicated? I dunno though, this is just second hand knowledge, but it'd make the rioting more deserved I'd think. But this is how it starts. The police have been armed since the train bombing, no? Is this not just a natural response to this? There's no denying the problem in the US with gun, gun control, police violence, and street violence is related to the fact that the police have to arm themselves against Americans who have to arm themselves against police (a vicious cycle).

 

[Teran]

The only people who are making a big deal are the government, the media, and foreigners.

The average Londoner really doesn't care that much, the average Londoner didn't really give a **** about terrorist attacks, so a bit of rioting is hardly anything.

Oh and

soccer

 

[El Nino]

I'm from London and I ****ing love it.

Most exciting thing that's happened since July 7th, although that was more exciting because I was somewhat caught up in that drama.

Wish I could be there.

 

[Pluvia]

What of the reports that he was shot without provocation? Someone told me that the gun he was suspected of pulling on the police was actually in his glove box - unloaded - the whole time? And that the police covered it up, so they wouldn't be implicated? I dunno though, this is just second hand knowledge, but it'd make the rioting more deserved I'd think. But this is how it starts. The police have been armed since the train bombing, no? Is this not just a natural response to this? There's no denying the problem in the US with gun, gun control, police violence, and street violence is related to the fact that the police have to arm themselves against Americans who have to arm themselves against police (a vicious cycle).

Anything you hear about the shooting is just pure rumours so far. The police that roam the streets don't carry guns, but obviously we do have an armed police response unit.

The public don't want the police to carry guns and the police don't want the police to carry guns, so they don't. And seemingly chavs go out and start rioting when the police shoot people.

And if anyone tells you the riotings are to do with the economy tell them to put their trousers back on and to stop talking out of their arse. The government haven't done anything recently to cause riots (in fact Cameron was on holiday when the riots broke out), and I even think youth unemployment has gone down a bit in this last few months. Notice how it's just a few teenagers rioting, there no adults to be seen, and it's only a couple hundred people out of the millions that live in London.

 

[theeboredone]

Personally, I'd be fine with the Police bringing out rubber bullets if things get desperate.

 

[Fuelbi]

Ha, being a little stereotypic, aren't we?

"Mexican" boy can't have a little bit of fun?

 

[~ Gheb ~]

This isn't unlike the occasional riot in the parisian banlieue. It's definitely not just a "random" riot caused by some gang - I doubt it would've escalated that much if that was the case. A high rate of youth unemployment and general poor financial outlook for young working-class people seems like the social background of all this. Maybe it started out as some small skirmish between police and gangs but by now I think it has taken a much more fundamental and political dimension than that.

 

[Pluvia]

Teran is right, the only people making a big deal out of this are foreigners.

According to the news today half the people arrested were under 18. It's got nothing to do with youth unemployment, seriously how does "I don't have a job, therefore I'm going to destroy my community and attack private shops and burn down buildings that have absolutely nothing to do with the government" make any sense? Really think about it. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. Plus if they really looked they'd probably be able to find jobs, they live in London for christ sake, I live in an incredibly small and isolated town yet even I have a job. They're just lazy moochers that blame other people for the problems they cause.

Just to show the general publics view on this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2024035/UK-riots-2011-500-Londoners-offer-help-clean-rioters-mess.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-14474429

As you can tell, the general public thinks the rioters are scum, and the rioters have no logic behind what they're doing other than 1. They're kids and 2. They think it's fun.

Edit:

Though these pictures still make me laugh:

Spoiler

 

[frotaz37]

Yeah, as I'm sure you know there was an emergency meeting of parliament because of the riots. That probably has made foreigners think it's a bigger deal than it actually is.

David Cameron seems to share your viewpoint about politics having nothing to do with the riots.

 

[OmegaXXII]

The only people who are making a big deal are the government, the media, and foreigners.

The average Londoner really doesn't care that much, the average Londoner didn't really give a **** about terrorist attacks, so a bit of rioting is hardly anything.

Teran definetly lives up to Von Karma's standards, I'll tell you, you're one tough Londoner if you ask me.

 

[Teran]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-Londoners-offer-help-clean-rioters-mess.html

Omg the DAILY MAIL?!

Actually that kinda would sum up the British public, but I dunno imo I think The Sun would be a better choice.

Either way both trashy.

And no I didn't even read the article because I didn't click the link, it's the Daily Fail.

Buuuut enough of that

Omega's cute. :3

 

[Mic_128]

Yeah, as I'm sure you know there was an emergency meeting of parliament because of the riots. That probably has made foreigners think it's a bigger deal than it actually is.

I dunno, your capital city in turmoil, violence everywhere in the streets, buildings, cars and busses burnt down...doesn't sound like a little thing.

 

[Pluvia]

Omg the DAILY MAIL?!

Actually that kinda would sum up the British public, but I dunno imo I think The Sun would be a better choice.

Either way both trashy.

And no I didn't even read the article because I didn't click the link, it's the Daily Fail.

Buuuut enough of that

Omega's cute. :3

I just looked at the headline the looked at the pictures. No need to read the text.

Anyway the riots are over. They rioted for like what, 3 days, then then England took it more police from Scotland and other places in the UK and it never started again. Tons of people got arrested and if you look at a lot of them they're just young teenagers. Everyone knows it's just stinking chavs.

 

[Vinylic.]

There was some big soccer match that was canceled due to the rioting. Must be the first time the after-game riot started before the match?


Also pretty bad timing, since the Olympic comitee's there to check the preparations for next years olympics.

This sucks. And it also sucks nbc's reputation.

 

[theeboredone]

Wonder if some of these rioters are gonna be released due to possible sudden crowding of jails.

 

[Vinylic.]

You mean a list?

 

[Mic_128]

Wonder if some of these rioters are gonna be released due to possible sudden crowding of jails.

The hell you're sending them over to Australia again