Riots in London

[Sta]

No, violent protest is never a good thing under any circumstances, especially in a civilised nation. It completely undermines the message of the protesters and can easily lead to opportunism as we've witnessed here.

At the time I heard I had no idea of the scale it was on. I thought it was people that knew the kid. If any of my siblings where killed I'd want to do a little more than stand outside a police station or Number 10 with a picket sign saying "No to murder". I'd want some media to know I'm pissed.
Agreed though, it's too easy for it to turn to shit, like Egypt has shown us these past months.

[Sta]

I'm still amazed (most of?) the English don't invest in Snow-Chains given how roads get coated in snow every year.

On Topic:
Out of curiosity, did the Police ever say why a Firearms Unit was sent after the chap who got shot?
Given the UK's stance on gun control and how rarely you see the Police armed there must have been a reason for it.

They found a gun at the scene so I'm guessing either the kid had a gun or one of his crew did... still waiting for the verdict.
Also, don't snow-chains fuck up the roads more than the actual snow? Maybe illegal to use, I've never seen anyone use them on road.

[Elvis]

As stated before, 3 people were ran over (looks to be deliberate, according to eye-witnesses) and died as a result of their injuries. Father of one of the victims, Tariq Jahan, gives his account of what happened:

[Sta]

Didn't realise the guy was 21... pretty fucked up. Did the men in the car get caught or do the police have leads/suspects?

[Elvis]

The police arrested one guy apparently. His car is being tested by forensics.

[Cesaria]

It's all either going to really really kick off here tonight as the copy catters jump on the bandwagon of last night (our police were fucking bang-on though - 90 arrests and nothing was allowed to go out of hand) or it'll be nothing going on at all (praying for it to be realy vile and piss down with rain to deter some of them). Worst case scenario is retaliatory attacks for the 3 lads in the hit and run in Birmingham yesterday and full blown inter-racial warfare across the Midlands - hope to God that doesn't happen cos that's a shitstorm and a half ready to errupt.

The riot cleanuppers round here were really disappointed - by the time they got up this morning ready to Womble - the council had done it all already.

[The Stig]

Video of police finding some rioters on bikes and delivering some beat down:

http://news.sky.com/home/video/16047393

Think this was last night maybe.

Check out one of the police who just suddenly kinda nitro boosted towards one of the guys on the bike and rushed him down lol ( i think he hit into the guy who tried to turn and run unintentionally?)

[Correction]

Huh.

http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/10/inju...laced-by-scee/

Wed, Aug 10, 2011 | 16:59 BST
Injured boy mugged in riot to have PSP replaced by SCEE

Ashraf Haziq – the injured boy who was videoed being mugged of his PSP after being helped to his feet by rioters in London this week – is to have the console replaced by SCEE.

A video of Haziq, 20, having goods taken from his backpack after being apparently assisted by youths, has caused outcry: the Malaysian student had suffered a broken jaw in disturbances and was sitting at the side of the road, obviously bleeding.

Speaking on a site set up to “do something nice” for the youngster, SCEE marketing director Alan Duncan, said the firm would “like to give Ashraf a new PSP and games,” and asked to be put in touch with Haziq or a hospital at which he’s being treated.

A response has been made to Duncan, saying his details will be forthcoming.

“If we can find out how to get it to him we’ll replace the PSP,” added a SCE UK rep.

Haziq was caught up in widespread rioting in London on Monday night, the worst disturbances of their kind in recent years.

You can watch the video below.

[Correction]

Don't worry everyone! The English Defence League is on the job!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...residents.html

London riots: far-right political party 'protect' Eltham residents
A far-right wing political party have claimed that they took to the streets of Eltham to "guide" the residents because the police were "unable to control the streets."

12:13PM BST 10 Aug 2011

The English Defence League (EDL) gathered in Eltham, south-east London, on Tuesday evening with around 200 residents from the area.

As the number of people swelled, the mood became increasingly violent as suspected looters were chased and set upon.

In one incident, a mob attacked a bus passing through the high street after black youths, seated on the upper deck, gestured through the window. Police were quick to respond, using dog-handlers to separate the two groups.

Jack England, EDL's south-east regional organiser, claimed that the people on the streets were "patriots" and not vigilantes.

He said: "The police are unable to control the streets. Today, these are local people, not EDL, these are patriots who have come out to defend their area.

"So the EDL has come down, about 50 of us, to manage them and control them and to sort of guide them to make sure they don't move out of order."

Eltham gained notoriety 18-years ago when a black teenager, Stephen Lawrence, was stabbed to death by white youths as he waited at a bus-stop.

The case sparked a public outcry after police failed to prosecute the suspected killers and a damning report later accused officers of incompetence and "institutional racism."

Story has video of the incident.

Pretty much confirms every suspicion I had about the group.

[Vigilia]

Totally off-topic from the riots but:

I'm still amazed (most of?) the English don't invest in Snow-Chains given how roads get coated in snow every year.

I'm sure some people who live by dirt tracks out in the countryside or in remote places have them for emergencies but it's the hassle of having to take them off the second you hit a main road that stops people from using them much. Afaik they're only legal if there is actually snow on the road and most main roads stay clear due to the volume of traffic. Otherwise they would eat the asphalt up like mad.

For example Finland is one of the countries that always gets brought up as comparison when UK press goes into the "omg snow why do we suck so bad" frenzy. In Finland you are required by law to use snow tyres during winter months (snow chains in normal cars are not allowed there either). Some people opt for snow tyres that look like any other tyre but are made of softer rubber and have better gripping tread, these are usually sufficient if you live in the cities and don't venture out much. There is no reason that Brits couldn't have some of them too other than the cost of owning two sets of tyres, the hassle of storing the unneeded set for half a year and the fact that most Brits don't seem to know how to change a bloody tyre and would rather just sit there and call the RAC. Others in Finland use tyres with small metal studs similar to the ones most people would had seen on rally cars. The side effect of these studded tyres is that the main motorways and roads leading to Helsinki (which has a whopping population of about 500k people) and other bigger cities get resurfaced every couple of years as they quickly develop visible grooves on the road which during rainy weather become just tracks for aquaplaning. Snow chains eat the roads even more and you only ever really see them on tractors and other heavy-duty work vehicles. Now London alone has well over 10 million people and more cars than Finland (the entire population of Finland is barely over 5 million). The cost of having to constantly resurface roads in the UK would be astronomical.

[SteveMc]

Huh.

http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/10/inju...laced-by-scee/

This is so nice, so happy he is getting his stuff replaced, this shit broke my heart.

[6souls]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp...qajlo1_500.png
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp...qajlo1_500.png
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp...qajlo1_500.png

http://photoshoplooter.tumblr.com/

[Vigilia]

There's been rumours flying about all day that a shit ton of asians are coming to Birmingham tonight to "protect their community" due to the 3 lads that were killed and just now another rumour that David Cameron is on his way to Brum as well to meet with the fathers of the 3... Rumours are rumours but I'm kind of hoping the latter would turn out to be true. It would show at least some balls for Cameron to leave the relative safety of Downing Street.

EDIT: nvm, Cameron was actually here this afternoon but just spoke during a visit to the police command centre.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-2335188.html

[Hyan]

"The Youth of the Middle East rise up for basic freedoms. The Youth of London rise up for a HD ready 42"

For example Finland is one of the countries that always gets brought up as comparison when UK press goes into the "omg snow why do we suck so bad" frenzy.

To be fair, so many people are taken by surprise every year when the first snowstorm hits and they're still using summer tyres (in freaking November or whatever). It's retarded. And don't even mention the railways.

"We had invested in an ice defrost machinery.. but then it froze too". GG.

[Criosist]

Hello rioters. Look at your friend, now back to me: now at your friend, now back to me! Sadly, he isn't me; but if he stopped using antisocial behaviour and started using a job centre he could be like me. Look down, back up. Where are we? You're at an interview, with the man your friend could work for! What's in his hand? It's an application form to that job he needs. Look again... the form is money! Anything is possible when you get a job and stop looting. I'm at a desk.

[Ezek]

There's been rumours flying about all day that a shit ton of asians are coming to Birmingham tonight to "protect their community" due to the 3 lads that were killed and just now another rumour that David Cameron is on his way to Brum as well to meet with the fathers of the 3... Rumours are rumours but I'm kind of hoping the latter would turn out to be true. It would show at least some balls for Cameron to leave the relative safety of Downing Street.

EDIT: nvm, Cameron was actually here this afternoon but just spoke during a visit to the police command centre.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-2335188.html

Yeah, pretty much. Also, lol'ed at this:

The bishop warned of possible reprisals and events "potentially having an ugly race dimension". Shortly after he spoke, a screaming and swearing African-Caribbean woman challenged a group of British Asians in a side street off Dudley Road, saying: "Your attitude is how riots start," before a friend bundled her into a car and drove off.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/au...s-anger-deaths

[Ksandra]

out of curiosity, where is the queen in all this?

I know she is strictly a figurehead, but she's always tried to be an adviser to the leaders in her countries. Curious if she just ran or is actually trying to make the appearance she's doing something.

I mean, technically, this is all her shit getting set on fire.

[millionsknives]

out of curiosity, where is the queen in all this?

I know she is strictly a figurehead, but she's always tried to be an adviser to the leaders in her countries. Curious if she just ran or is actually trying to make the appearance she's doing something.

I mean, technically, this is all her shit getting set on fire.

The Queen isn't publicly involved, it's unlikely she'd even make a speech on the riots. But shes almost certainly been in contact with the PrimeMinister to offer advice.

I don't imagine the cunts that are rioting would take much notice of anything she said/did anyway

[Correction]

Not sure how this will make things better but...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blog/20...-live#block-18

8.08pm: Scotland Yard has said suspected rioters and looters can be beaten with weapons if they are honestly thought to pose a danger, writes my colleague Vikram Dodd.

In a document sent to businesses in the capital, police gave explicit guidance on what constitutes "reasonable force", saying people do not have to wait to be attacked if they are in their own home or business.

With police numbers stretched the limit, the Met said if someone "honestly and instinctively" believed they, their business or another person was in danger, they could use force.

The guidance says: "You are not expected to make fine judgements over the level of force you use in the heat of the moment."

It adds a weapon can be used and says: " The more extreme the circumstances and the fear felt, the more force you can lawfully use in self-defence."

The Met guidance says use of a weapon could also be lawful and constitute reasonable force.

It is understood the guidance was issued after business owners asked for advice about how much force they could use to defend themselves and their property.


The three men who died in Birmingham were believed to have been defending their property.

Gonna get ugly.

[brisk]

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lp...qajlo1_500.png

This one is by far my favorite.