UK: Rioting in north London

It is unfortunate that "The Wire" didn't do more to explore the causes that made Baltimore the way it is. Part of the back story is that after the Martin Luther King riots, everyone with the means to do so left the city. Business, industry, and residents all lit out for the hills. That created the double whammy of a reduced tax base and a serious lack of jobs and services. We still haven't recovered. I do think London is big enough and strong enough to recover, but it might be useful if the rioters could understand the long term damage they are creating. Of course, they wouldn't care...

I do think London is big enough and strong enough to recover, but it might be useful if the rioters could understand the long term damage they are creating. Of course, they wouldn't care...

That would require some modicum of intelligence!

Just horrible for all of the innocent victims in all this.

I don't know why they put a blurb about Leeds in there with the rest earlier today - AFAIK, it was a relatively minor 'normal night in Chapeltown' kind of thing.  Someone got shot related to a shooting from a few days ago - gang activity most likely.  Some people came out, maybe a bin got set on fire, heavy police presence (always is in Chapeltown), people went home.  Of course, all bets off for tonight. 

My BIL (north London) was saying about how where the looting was taking place & you weren't seeing the police presence (something that has been criticised) - that the looters have been organising themselves via text/social media to hit locations where the police aren't present, then the police turn up, and the looters then run off & reorganise somewhere else where the police aren't...and so on.  I don't think there are enough police out to deal with it all & London is so spread out!  Haven't the forces been cut in the government austerity measures, and I wonder if the remaining service is in disarray (leadership-wise) with the aftermath of the News of the World scandal?  

I don't know why they put a blurb about Leeds in there with the rest earlier today - AFAIK, it was a relatively minor 'normal night in Chapeltown' kind of thing.  Someone got shot related to a shooting from a few days ago - gang activity most likely.  Some people came out, maybe a bin got set on fire, heavy police presence (always is in Chapeltown), people went home.  Of course, all bets off for tonight. 

It would have been more noteworthy if something hadn't happened in Chapeltown 

It would have been more noteworthy if something hadn't happened in Chapeltown  

Although in further news, a friend who just got off work at 5 pm (I am already home in the northwest 'burbs) has put up on Facebook that a massive group of lads just came marching through Leeds city centre followed by a couple of police riot vans. And everyone else (people getting off work, etc) just stopped dead in their tracks.  Very awkward moment according to her.  But apparently Leeds city centre is full of police now, according to this friend's FB post.

ETA:  DH said there's a few police in the rail station but nothing out of ordinary there - just some Bradford fans arriving for the football.

I received a skype message from MrRed5 around 5pm-he was being sent home as they are expecting trouble near the Bank of England (he works near Canon Street Station).

I've created a twitter list of emergency services so that your can find your local police twitter presence and follow their updates. They are quite with the program on twitter. If I have left any out, please let me know.

http://twitter.com/#!/ukyankeedotcom/emergencyservices

Apparently this map by the Guardian is the most up-to-date map, and the Google map linked upthread is no longer being updated.

Thanks Leah - great idea!

That map isn't being updated entirely.  Both of our Co-ops were looted last night as well as a few more of the shops on the high road.  Norbury's not on there, and places like the Lidl's, a pawn shop, etc. were hit.

Been hearing intermittent sirens for a while. The darker it gets, the more constant they are.

Anyone in the Manchester area, if you can get into Piccadilly Gardens tomorrow at 11am they're looking to organise volunteers for help cleaning up the city.

All this is very worrying Manchester and leeds aren't that far from us.

Hope everyone has a safe night x

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/video--injured-boy-in-riots-mugged.html

Disgusting    

Although in further news, a friend who just got off work at 5 pm (I am already home in the northwest 'burbs) has put up on Facebook that a massive group of lads just came marching through Leeds city centre followed by a couple of police riot vans. And everyone else (people getting off work, etc) just stopped dead in their tracks.  Very awkward moment according to her.  But apparently Leeds city centre is full of police now, according to this friend's FB post.

ETA:  DH said there's a few police in the rail station but nothing out of ordinary there - just some Bradford fans arriving for the football.

All the police in Leeds was because of the football match against Bradford.