But others – including Britain’s coalition government — denounced the riots as an extraordinary spree of opportunistic criminality following the Tottenham riots late Saturday night. Unlike the protests last December that included vandalism by anarchists of central London businesses, those participating in riots over the past 48 hours showed no signs of trying to make a political statement…
British Home Secretary Theresa May, the cabinet minister in charge of the police, publically defended the force, saying law enforcement was doing everything it could. May rejected claims the youths had any political motivation. “There is no excuse for violence, there is no excuse for looters, there is no excuse for thuggery on our streets,” May said. “And those responsible will be brought to justice
I don’t know where to begin.
London is encircled in flames, and the police have completely lost control. Fire engines have reportedly even driven away from fires that are too big to handle.
The violence is devastating. There is no sense in this - vulnerable, innocent people are having their lives destroyed. And the riot police, if they are there, are protecting the fire engines. And in Croydon, the boys who have set one of the buildings on fire, are sitting on the side of the road watching it burn.
I’m with ken livingstone however, and I can’t help asking “why?”. Yes, the behaviour is mindless and pure thuggery but what makes a whole generation think this is ok? Looting electric stores and trainer shops is one thing…smashing the face of grocery store owner who’s trying to defend his fruit and veg is another. Completely senseless.
(via robot-heart-politics)
