Riots.

Tank · August 08, 2011, 10:21:35 PM

Scary stuff about the riots. Croydon with is just a few miles away from me has lots of trouble, and apparently Purley Tesco's is having trouble. That's one mile away from me!!!

Is anyone else near the troubled areas?

lesmond · August 08, 2011, 10:25:29 PM

Nowhere near the current ones (and that is a bit close to you for comfort), but we have them down the road about a mile away every so often at the good old "sectarian interface". This is Belfast, though, not London

Keep the head down, Tank, and keep the family safe. I'm sending you positive energy.

Lesmond

Tank · August 08, 2011, 10:28:17 PM

Thanks Les! Yes, I'm guessing you'd be used to rioting over there!

I'm just glad I'm out of the main part of Croydon. All of these gangs are so pathetic. What is all of this for?! I mean the real reason, and not for the police shooting that man.

lesmond · August 08, 2011, 10:34:02 PM

We love a good riot over here

.

I'm glad you're well out of it, hopefully it stays that way. Gangs and all that nonsense really are pathetic, it's much the same over here, just d***ks trying to be hard men.

Dear knows what the real reasons are, I doubt it has much to do with that bloke getting shot, although he seems to be a great excuse.

Les

longbridge · August 08, 2011, 11:38:29 PM

Just got the latest news from home on Aussie News, seems there has been a shooting at Croydon so Chris stay safe as our thoughts are with you.

scotsoft · August 09, 2011, 01:05:27 AM

Any of those guys throwing stuff at the police or looting shops should be used for target practice by police, army or any of the services. Behaviour like that needs stamped on hard and fast, there are far too many doo gooders in this country, it's about time some discipline was instilled into those rioters.

poliss · August 09, 2011, 01:13:10 AM

Like they do in Syria you mean?

scotsoft · August 09, 2011, 01:18:26 AM

This lot in London are not fighting to depose a dictator, this lot are doing it just to cause trouble.

poliss · August 09, 2011, 01:21:16 AM

But you want the authorities to deal with them in the same way as an evil dictator does. Shoot them down in the streets? Maybe send the tanks in like the Chinese do?

scotsoft · August 09, 2011, 01:31:27 AM

I don't think tanks would be necessary, that's a bit too much.

When they were interviewing people on the news they were saying the rioters had no respect for life.
What I saw on the news coverage showed they had no respect for anyone.
They are supposed to have arrested over two hundred rioters.
I wonder how many slaps on wrists will be handed out?
You may find it strange but I abhor violence, I don't know how else they are going to get this lot under control.

poliss · August 09, 2011, 01:39:02 AM

I'd prefer we did it the British way and send more riot police and police horses in. The army should have been sent in yesterday to back up the police numbers as they seem woefully short.
I expect the convicted rioters will get long stretches in prison and not a slap on the wrist. If there are any prison spaces left to put them in that is.
I'd hate it if this country started to behave like the dictatorships and started shooting people. I believe that not only would that not work, but would make the situation a hundred times worse.

scotsoft · August 09, 2011, 01:44:57 AM

You are correct, it more than likely would make it worse.
I was venting frustration more than anything else.
I apologise for mouthing off like that it was not called for.
Time for bed said Zebedee!

longbridge · August 09, 2011, 02:51:46 AM

I heard on Aussie TV that the British riots are caused by the widening gap between the Have's and have nots if that is the case its only a matter of time before we have riots over here.

Lots of homeless people with families living in cars and on the streets, rents to high so families are living in tents, the lucky country of Oz is lucky no more, hob nobs making a fortune out of shares in oil companies and supermarkets, every day prices increasing all the time, on top of that we have racial problems, what the future brings to a capitalist country like Oz is anyones guess but I don't think its going to be pretty.

Maybe I am just an old fart but I am pleased to be 68 years old as I would not like to be young these days.

Sithlord75 · August 09, 2011, 08:18:31 AM

Being a teacher - albiet in the middle of nowhere - I get to see how the young view things like this. Shock was one - most of them see Britain as the place where our system of Law and Order come from and to see it break down like this. But then they look closer and it does come down to a lack of respect. I don't know who is "responsible" but from what I see it tends to be the ones who don't have anyone at home (both working - in some cases out of necessity but not really as I have four kids and my wife stays home and we survive on just my income by making do and going without. Good example is I am on an enforced no train purchase kick for this quarter = July 1-Sept 30) to keep them out of trouble. As they get into trouble inevitably the "enemy" is no longer the old fart at home but the bloke in the blue hat - and he has mates so it becomes gang v gang and a gang tends to operate at the lowest common denominator which pretty much explains it.

Crazy stuff from this distance for sure.

Tank · August 09, 2011, 08:29:04 AM

Well I gave up staying awake last night. I have a few friends without homes now, lots who didn't get any sleep, and most of my friends are off to work in Croydon - including my wife. I can't believe there were so many fires. The army definitely need to get involved so that we have the numbers on the street. I can't believe how many towns and cities were involved. And all of it for no reason other than looting and arson.

A new police tactic (for the British anyway) was used last night to use armoured police cars/vans to charge through the barricades with the riot police behind. It worked, and they are thinking of adopting it into future training.