tottenham riot

[luke]

[faceless]

David Starkey talking about the reasons for the recent street chaos on Newsnight... he's not a racist at all, no way!

[luke]

[faceless]

Here's a quote from an interview with the judge from 2003 in which he talks about preferring the jury system to just a single judge.

[major.tom]

Daylight Robbery, Meet Nighttime Robbery
Naomi Klein
August 16, 2011
source link

I keep hearing comparisons between the London riots and riots in other European cities—window smashing in Athens or car bonfires in Paris. And there are parallels, to be sure: a spark set by police violence, a generation that feels forgotten.

But those events were marked by mass destruction; the looting was minor. There have, however, been other mass lootings in recent years, and perhaps we should talk about them too. There was Baghdad in the aftermath of the US invasion—a frenzy of arson and looting that emptied libraries and museums. The factories got hit too. In 2004 I visited one that used to make refrigerators. Its workers had stripped it of everything valuable, then torched it so thoroughly that the warehouse was a sculpture of buckled sheet metal.

Back then the people on cable news thought looting was highly political. They said this is what happens when a regime has no legitimacy in the eyes of the people. After watching for so long as Saddam and his sons helped themselves to whatever and whomever they wanted, many regular Iraqis felt they had earned the right to take a few things for themselves. But London isn’t Baghdad, and British Prime Minister David Cameron is hardly Saddam, so surely there is nothing to learn there.

How about a democratic example then? Argentina, circa 2001. The economy was in freefall and thousands of people living in rough neighborhoods (which had been thriving manufacturing zones before the neoliberal era) stormed foreign-owned superstores. They came out pushing shopping carts overflowing with the goods they could no longer afford—clothes, electronics, meat. The government called a “state of siege” to restore order; the people didn’t like that and overthrew the government.

Argentina’s mass looting was called El Saqueo—the sacking. That was politically significant because it was the very same word used to describe what that country’s elites had done by selling off the country’s national assets in flagrantly corrupt privatization deals, hiding their money offshore, then passing on the bill to the people with a brutal austerity package. Argentines understood that the saqueo of the shopping centers would not have happened without the bigger saqueo of the country, and that the real gangsters were the ones in charge.

But England is not Latin America, and its riots are not political, or so we keep hearing. They are just about lawless kids taking advantage of a situation to take what isn’t theirs. And British society, Cameron tells us, abhors that kind of behavior.

This is said in all seriousness. As if the massive bank bailouts never happened, followed by the defiant record bonuses. Followed by the emergency G-8 and G-20 meetings, when the leaders decided, collectively, not to do anything to punish the bankers for any of this, nor to do anything serious to prevent a similar crisis from happening again. Instead they would all go home to their respective countries and force sacrifices on the most vulnerable. They would do this by firing public sector workers, scapegoating teachers, closing libraries, upping tuitions, rolling back union contracts, creating rush privatizations of public assets and decreasing pensions—mix the cocktail for where you live. And who is on television lecturing about the need to give up these “entitlements”? The bankers and hedge-fund managers, of course.

This is the global Saqueo, a time of great taking. Fueled by a pathological sense of entitlement, this looting has all been done with the lights left on, as if there was nothing at all to hide. There are some nagging fears, however. In early July, the Wall Street Journal, citing a new poll, reported that 94 percent of millionaires were afraid of "violence in the streets.” This, it turns out, was a reasonable fear.

Of course London’s riots weren’t a political protest. But the people committing nighttime robbery sure as hell know that their elites have been committing daytime robbery. Saqueos are contagious.

The Tories are right when they say the rioting is not about the cuts. But it has a great deal to do with what those cuts represent: being cut off. Locked away in a ballooning underclass with the few escape routes previously offered—a union job, a good affordable education—being rapidly sealed off. The cuts are a message. They are saying to whole sectors of society: you are stuck where you are, much like the migrants and refugees we turn away at our increasingly fortressed borders.

David Cameron’s response to the riots is to make this locking-out literal: evictions from public housing, threats to cut off communication tools and outrageous jail terms (five months to a woman for receiving a stolen pair of shorts). The message is once again being sent: disappear, and do it quietly.

At last year’s G-20 “austerity summit” in Toronto, the protests turned into riots and multiple cop cars burned. It was nothing by London 2011 standards, but it was still shocking to us Canadians. The big controversy then was that the government had spent $675 million on summit “security” (yet they still couldn’t seem to put out those fires). At the time, many of us pointed out that the pricey new arsenal that the police had acquired—water cannons, sound cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets—wasn’t just meant for the protesters in the streets. Its long-term use would be to discipline the poor, who in the new era of austerity would have dangerously little to lose.

This is what David Cameron got wrong: you can't cut police budgets at the same time as you cut everything else. Because when you rob people of what little they have, in order to protect the interests of those who have more than anyone deserves, you should expect resistance—whether organized protests or spontaneous looting.

And that’s not politics. It’s physics.

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Spot on.

[faceless]

Tory councillor, 49, suspended after calling rioters 'jungle bunnies' on Facebook
Louise Boyle and Kathy Bailes
18th August 2011

A Tory councillor has been suspended after he made racist remarks about rioters. Bob Frost, who is also a secondary school maths teacher, described those involved in disturbances last week as 'jungle bunnies' on his Facebook page. The 49-year-old posted the insult, referring to the riots in London on August 7, less than 24 hours after trouble flared in Tottenham, north London

He had been elected to Dover District Council to represent the Conservative Party in May. Mr Frost teaches at Sir Roger Manwood’s Grammar School in Sandwich and describes himself as a 'right-wing libertarian'.

The remark was removed from his Facebook page after he received a phone call from another Conservative party member. Mr Frost then wrote on Facebook: 'I have just had a phone call that accused me of racism for my above posting. Looking at the dictionary it would appear that the term jungle bunnies is perjorative [sic] and is a racist slur relating to African-Americans. Needless to say I did not mean to use any offensive racist term and was referring to the urban jungle. As for the bunny bit it was originally animals but I thought people might object to me calling fellow humans this so I chose something I thought was innocuous and also cuddly.' Mr Frost's apology was also taken down after he received another phone call from a fellow Conservative representative.

The councillor has been suspended from the party and an investigation into the comments has been launched before a panel decides what action to take. Mr Frost said: 'What I said was wrong and I apologise unreservedly. I am mortified by the offence that I have caused and have deleted these comments. I am very sorry.'

Councillor Sue Chandler, deputy leader of Dover District Council Conservative Group said: 'There is no place in our society for this kind of language. We have therefore suspended Cllr Frost from the Conservative Group pending investigation.' A senior Tory colleague, who declined to be named, described Mr Frost as a 'idiot'.

Mr Frost's Facebook postings have attracted controversy in the past in particular comments he made about single mothers in Dover town centre. He wrote: 'Well, being in the Market Square you might ask how all the single mothers congregating with their push-chaired spawn are able to afford both their beer and their tattoos. I have a horrible idea I am paying for both.'

When it was put to Mr Frost that some of those mothers might be from his own constituency in north Deal, he responded: 'While there is a certain demographic which may well fit the description in North Deal it is most unusual for them to waddle so far from their territory.'

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If that's not the most pathetic attempt to make an excuse ever, I'd like to hear what is. "You mean it's racist? OHHHHHHH..."

What a prick.

[SpursFan1902]

Sometimes I wonder about people....does he think that no one reads FB? I know that there are games and such and that it is poo pooed, but if you put something out on FB, SOMEONE will read it! That is the point right? Did he think he could post that and no one would say anything? I hope that he was not surprised at his removal....now he has lots of time to post on FB and no one will care what he says, so he can say whatever he wants...although it sounds like he does that anyway....That's MR. Dumass to you....

[faceless]

Teenager cleared of setting fire to Miss Selfridge during Manchester riots
Dane Williamson now suffering panic attacks after his flat was burned and he was subjected to abuse while on remand
Helen Carter
guardian.co.uk,
21 August 2011

A teenager who spent nine days in prison after being charged with setting fire to Miss Selfridge during the Manchester riots has been cleared after new evidence emerged confirming his innocence. Dane Williamson, 18, said he had had a nightmarish ordeal after he was charged with being involved in causing £500,000 damage to the Market Street store during the riots, despite having five alibis.

He was charged with criminal damage and being reckless over property damage or endangering life. His name was widely reported and Facebook groups were set up on which he was identified and subjected to abuse. Williamson's flat in Salford was damaged by fire while he was on remand in Forest Bank prison; he lost all of his possessions and is now homeless. He suffered panic attacks after he was targeted by other prisoners who taunted him about what he had supposedly done. A 50-year-old man has since been arrested in connection with the incident but Greater Manchester police say they are still searching for those who started the fire.

During his time on remand, Williamson was called a firebug, told he would be jailed for life by prisoner officers, and initially locked up for 23 hours a day as a category A prisoner. His solicitor, Kerry Morgan, criticised the judicial system for pursuing instant justice so much it resulted in an innocent man being locked up.

Dane, who has spent much of his life in care and has two previous convictions, told the Manchester Evening News: "Being in Forest Bank was horrible. I had heard my name all over the radio. In prison I was being treated as if I was already guilty. It was quite scary and an experience I don't want to repeat. I was in there for nine days, 23 hours a day locked up in a cell. I was categorised as a category A prisoner at first then reduced to category B. I had a lot of snide comments from officers about the arson, like: 'You're that firebug,' 'You're gonna get time for this,' and 'They're gonna put you in Strangeways.' The worst thing that was said was: 'You're getting life and you're scum.' They must have told other prisoners because some would flick their fingers like a lighter in my face.

"I was going through hell. I was depressed. I was having panic attacks. The stress was awful. I feared I was going to get convicted for something I didn't do, which potentially carried a life sentence. While I was in custody I got the news from my solicitor that there had been a fire at my flat. That was very distressing. All my personal belongings and photos were destroyed. I lost my home. On top of everything else it was a final blow."

Dane told how he had been arrested, saying: "One of my mates had said: 'Are you sure you were not involved in the riots? The photo of the arsonist looks a bit like you. We had a laugh and a joke about it. Two police officers were stood in front of Phones 4 You, and I said: 'I'll prove it's not me,' and walked in front of the coppers. When I came out of the shop they grabbed me and then three more approached and asked if I had been involved in the riots. I said no.

"The next thing I was arrested in the middle of the street on suspicion of arson. I couldn't believe it. It was surreal. I was taken into police custody and it was all very distressing. I was interviewed at Pendleton police station and gave an account of where I was that day. Then I was interviewed again and they were trying to pin the offence on me and get me to admit it. I wasn't having any of it because it was not me." He was charged with damage to the shop and presented before magistrates. He had been selling CDs on Market Street on the day of the riot but was at his brother's home in Salford during the evening.

Kerry Morgan, senior partner with Morgan Brown & Cahill, who represented him, said: "They notified us as part of their duty of ongoing disclosure that they had checked footage in relation to Dane's account of where he was during the day and that CCTV showed him wearing similar clothes to the arsonist, but slightly different. Also a police officer had identified someone other than Dane who he thought was the suspect. Those two things undermined their case and as a result Dane was bailed on Thursday by the recorder of Manchester and later that day we received notification that the case against him was being discontinued."

Dane has spent 17 of his 18 years in care, living in children's homes and foster homes. He has two previous convictions: for possession of cannabis in March this year, and burglary three years ago, when he and friends broke into the reception of a holiday camp. For both offences he was given a youth referral order.

He is annoyed that people were setting up Facebook pages about the riots, naming him and defaming him. He says he does not condone violence or rioting. This year, with the help of the charity Barnardo's, he moved into his own flat in Broughton, Salford, and has completed business courses at college.

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I wonder if all those lovely middle-class people who contributed towards other appeals will dig into their pockets to help this lad get some sort of life together? Sadly, I very much doubt it.

But with any luck someone will give him a chance.

[Bradley]

This all happened whilst I was in the states, but their media coverage on this (mostly on Fox news) seemed to imply that England was 'ablaze' and this was widespread - reading all of the above tells a very different tale and demonstrates, again, how little the American media know about what goes on anywhere apart from within the US border