I want to write about the riots but i'm a) really tired and b) out every night this week. This causes a problem.
Basically, lots of teenagers and kids are running around big cities in England (not Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, you'll note) and muggin people, setting fire to things and looting shops. It started last weekend after a guy got shot by the police in London and a protest was organised. It's no longer a protest (in my eyes, though undoubtedly some of the kids think they're protesting) and it's pure criminal damage. People have died, others have been put in hospital, many have lost their livelihood as their businesses are burnt to the ground.
My city isn't affected but my friend's cities are. It's not caused by social media, tuition fees, bad diets, alcohol, single mothers or video games. It is a fucking nightmare for the people in the areas where the kids are rioting. It's not even organised riots, just many seperate gangs of kids.
Now they're talking about bringing in the army, rubber bullets and water cannons. The poor police have not got enough coppers in the force to maintain control. Personally, I'm swinging more towards arresting all the rioters and chucking them in gaol, cos they know full well what they're doing.
I'll leave you with The Clash, singing London's Burning.
1 comment:
I disagree. We have a government that has not only ignored and even ridiculed every legitimate political protest, but has actively pursued policies that make the poor poorer and more disenfranchised than ever. This is was disenfranchisement looks like- its ugly, painful and even deadly. But, so are the lives of the people rioting- this is the manifestation of pain.
And, I wouldn't buy into the 'it's only young boys things'- most riots consist of a variety of age-groups- the media just likes to blame the young as it helps us ignore the root of the problem.
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