Channel 4 News (U.K.) Monday's 7 p.m. newscast: Police braced as clashes erupt across London http://bcove.me/j4tah6mb
And this was before the fires in Croyden last night.
Croydon: on the edge of riot
Listening to BBC's 5 live reports LIVE from Croyden on rioting by thugs and the devastation they have wrought, while Police did nothing but mill about
Tuesday August 9th, 2011
2:30-4:20 a.m.
Below, some things I've learned while listening to BBC's 5 live reports from Croyden in South London as one successful shop -owner after another describes rioting by gangs of teens and the devastation they have wrought, destroying small shops that in some cases have been there for 40-50 years, as well as Ye Olde Dominos Pizza..One business destroyed has been there for 140 years -made it thru WWII, but destroyed by people in their own neighborhood.It's located on a street that's named for the business...Nearby is a safe in the middle of the street.A woman who owns a maternity boutique described seeing her life's dream literally going up in smoke, finding small hangers on nearby streets that had fallen from the clothes that were stolen.The hangers got in the way of how much they could carry out.Guess we'll finally see what all those CCTV cameras can do, since there is clear shots of what took place and who was doing it .I also think we will be hearing lots of talk about future reprisals against the guilty.Many business owners think that the military needs to get involved and wonder how 13-year olds are out on the street at 1 am without their parents knowing?And ask why there were no water cannons or rubber bullets?Lots of people interviewed there -and listeners at home- texting in to the Breakfast show are taking the Police to task and criticizing the Police establishment for their failure to adapt to changes -social media, Internet, cell phones- and to stop acting like it's fifty years ago and the problem is just juvenile delinquints out on a lark.Lots of criticism of The Met following an outmoded Police model of civil cooperation that is simply fantasy-land.Business owners and BBC listeners are saying over-and-over that the criminal element isn't interested in cooperation or "working with the community" but the Police establishment will be slow to change their tactics and strategy.Theresa May, the Home Secretary, is being interviewed now and wants to say that it's "sheer criminality" -and she has said it 6-7 times- but she is avoiding answering the host's question about whether or not these are, in fact, race riots, since most of those involved are poor Blacks/Carribean and in many cases, it's Asian-owned shops that are the ones that seem to be targeted for destruction.Many think that while there's an element of wanton opportunistic destruction, there's definitely an ethnic angle, too.It's also been mentioned that the European press is already saying that the riots show the failure of multiculturism.All the affected areas in London are ones with the highest concentration of gangs.The past Labour government's notions of empowering social workers to reach out to the community is a completely failed policy in the view of the majority of the people I've heard today.One such woman calling for more of that now is getting withering criticism on the radio from others and is actually blaming the necessary govt. cuts for the troubles.Some people can never accept the fact that their high-minded approach, however well motivated, has failed, which the last three nights has thoroughly provenOr recognize that some people are, in fact, criminals.The UK-Netherlands "friendly" at Wembley Thursday night is now in the hands of the Metropolitan Police, not the FA, with a decision expected later today before Dutch team flies out from Amsterdam.London riots: live:Suggest you take a listen when you get a chance.To keep up on the latest Channel 4 news video of this, check here:http://www.channel4.com/news/catch-up/For latest YouTube video about Croyden riots:Kudos to Breakfast co-host Rachel Burden for walking thru Croyden while doing her report and keeping it together while seeing such signs of devastation.It made me think of ABC News' Diane Sawyer and her well-known ability to do the same, regardless of circumstances, at world and national hot-spots, which is why she does that so often -and so well.And at 4:20 a.m., I sign off...
No comments:
Post a Comment