Over the past two days there have been a series of riots in northern London, starting in Tottenham and migrating down to Enfield once the police established control of the previous riot location. In Tottenham, two police cars, a bus and several buildings were set ablaze by rioters who looted numerous shops across the high street:
Rioters attacked firemen who attempted to put out the blaze and attacked members of the public who assisted, or even spoke to, the rescue services.
By the end of the night's riot, the total toll for the police was 26 injured officers [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/07/tottenham-riots-eight-police-injured] (some of whom required hospitalisation) and over 40 arrests. The civilian casualties haven't yet been ascertained, nor has the property damage or theft, though looting and mayhem were reportedly widespread.
The initial cause of the Tottenham riots, beyond a general lack of self-control and desire for violence from some members of the community, was the police shooting of "Starrish Mark" Duggan [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/a-death-at-the-hands-of-police-ndash-and-a-vigil-that-turned-to-violence-2333590.html], reputedly a local gangster, who is said to have been killed by a single shot to the head two days prior to the riots after having fired upon the police as they came towards him to effect an arrest. Unusually, the Independent Police Complaints Commission arrived at the scene immediately after the shooting to investigate the circumstances that lead to Duggan's death. Certain community members believed that Duggan had been deliberately executed by the police and gathered outside a local police station to demand answers (despite the fact that the IPCC were already investigating). The initially peaceful demonstration quickly turned to violence as youths set police cars alight and ransacked the station. It's rumoured that an altercation between police and a teenager at the protest may have been the catalyst for the events to come, but no confirming evidence has come to light.
Then today, Enfield was struck by an orchestrated riot, organised through social networking sites [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8687680/Capital-sees-second-night-of-clashes.html]. This time, the Territorial Support Group and the Dog Support Unit were much quicker on the scene, but looting still occurred [http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/9182622.Clashes_resume_in_Enfield_Town_as_police_attacked/].
Rioters were last seen heading towards the retail park [http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/localnews/9182655.Riots_appear_under_control_as_battleground_moves_to_retail_park/] with police helicopters tailing closely, although no official confirmation has been received as to the change of the location of the riot.
For those old enough to remember it, these riots hark of the 1985 Tottenham race riots which claimed the life of police constable Keith Blakelock who was brutally hacked to death during the riot. Thankfully, no reports of deaths have surfaced yet.
As per normal, the Guardian is already on the scene blaming the police whilst its doppelgänger, the Daily Mail, blames the community. I did a cursory check of the search bar to see if this was being discussed and it didn't appear to be.
So what are your thoughts? How should riots be contained? Is this a different image of London to the one you'd previously held? Discuss!
EDIT:
So, now it's Monday and the rioting is spreading. This Google map [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=207192798388318292131.0004aa01af6748773e8f7&msa=0&ll=51.523271,-0.068665&spn=0.459699,1.100006] shows the areas currently being affected by the riots.
The riots have now spread to Clapham, Croydon, Brixton, Oxford Circus, Walthamstow, Islington, Hackney, Peckham, Tooting, Streatham, Camden, Notting Hill and Ealing Broadway. Worst effected are Croydon, in which a 5 generation old business was torched, and Clapham, where the high street stores were entirely ransacked.
Clapham
Croydon
If you're in London tonight then stay in doors, lock everything, ensure you've got access to water and some form of protection.
Stay safe out there, law abiding citizens.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/tottenham-smoulders-after-night-of-rioting-2333588.html said:
Rioters attacked firemen who attempted to put out the blaze and attacked members of the public who assisted, or even spoke to, the rescue services.
By the end of the night's riot, the total toll for the police was 26 injured officers [http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/07/tottenham-riots-eight-police-injured] (some of whom required hospitalisation) and over 40 arrests. The civilian casualties haven't yet been ascertained, nor has the property damage or theft, though looting and mayhem were reportedly widespread.
The initial cause of the Tottenham riots, beyond a general lack of self-control and desire for violence from some members of the community, was the police shooting of "Starrish Mark" Duggan [http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/a-death-at-the-hands-of-police-ndash-and-a-vigil-that-turned-to-violence-2333590.html], reputedly a local gangster, who is said to have been killed by a single shot to the head two days prior to the riots after having fired upon the police as they came towards him to effect an arrest. Unusually, the Independent Police Complaints Commission arrived at the scene immediately after the shooting to investigate the circumstances that lead to Duggan's death. Certain community members believed that Duggan had been deliberately executed by the police and gathered outside a local police station to demand answers (despite the fact that the IPCC were already investigating). The initially peaceful demonstration quickly turned to violence as youths set police cars alight and ransacked the station. It's rumoured that an altercation between police and a teenager at the protest may have been the catalyst for the events to come, but no confirming evidence has come to light.
Then today, Enfield was struck by an orchestrated riot, organised through social networking sites [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8687680/Capital-sees-second-night-of-clashes.html]. This time, the Territorial Support Group and the Dog Support Unit were much quicker on the scene, but looting still occurred [http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/9182622.Clashes_resume_in_Enfield_Town_as_police_attacked/].
Rioters were last seen heading towards the retail park [http://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/localnews/9182655.Riots_appear_under_control_as_battleground_moves_to_retail_park/] with police helicopters tailing closely, although no official confirmation has been received as to the change of the location of the riot.
For those old enough to remember it, these riots hark of the 1985 Tottenham race riots which claimed the life of police constable Keith Blakelock who was brutally hacked to death during the riot. Thankfully, no reports of deaths have surfaced yet.
As per normal, the Guardian is already on the scene blaming the police whilst its doppelgänger, the Daily Mail, blames the community. I did a cursory check of the search bar to see if this was being discussed and it didn't appear to be.
So what are your thoughts? How should riots be contained? Is this a different image of London to the one you'd previously held? Discuss!
EDIT:
So, now it's Monday and the rioting is spreading. This Google map [http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=207192798388318292131.0004aa01af6748773e8f7&msa=0&ll=51.523271,-0.068665&spn=0.459699,1.100006] shows the areas currently being affected by the riots.
The riots have now spread to Clapham, Croydon, Brixton, Oxford Circus, Walthamstow, Islington, Hackney, Peckham, Tooting, Streatham, Camden, Notting Hill and Ealing Broadway. Worst effected are Croydon, in which a 5 generation old business was torched, and Clapham, where the high street stores were entirely ransacked.
Clapham
Croydon
If you're in London tonight then stay in doors, lock everything, ensure you've got access to water and some form of protection.
Stay safe out there, law abiding citizens.
