This situation is completely out of control now, first days of "protests" in London and now its spreading around the country.
Birmingham city centre has been trashed tonight, almost purely for a chance to loot the shops.

Really worrying times in the UK at the moment

Unfortunately, these types of events tend to piss people off more than catch their attention and join the cause...

It still astounds me there aren't more things like this going on in America. I for one will be the first to admit to my apathy, but after 2008 I really thought heads were gonna roll in the streets here.

Stay safe over there

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=207192798388318292131.0004aa01af6748773e8f7&msa=0&ie=UTF8&ll=51.536086,-0.056305&spn=0.39294,0.630341&z=10&source=embed
THIS is my city.

Such a surreal evening.

I work in Dalston, live in Islington, lived in Stoke Newington, Hackney is a stomping ground.
All I'm hearing is sirens.
Jeb is in Peckham, I'm sure he has stories to tell as well.

Glued to the BBC.

Edit:
THIS!!! is my city:
http://www.twitvid.com/4JTZH

Basically most of London is at risk from "youths" if they leave the house. They out number cops and the cops have no idea what to do.
If you're on twitter search for #londonriots
You'll get loads of pictures, there's talk of poeple getting their houses invaded, shops are getting burnt to the ground.... it's pretty hard to fathom.
These are kids, holding a city at bay.

I really don't get what's going on. I read that originally they were protesting about some boy being killed by the police. And then all the riots and looting. And then this 'movement' spreading but... what's it about. Is it really just looting like dxxe said? Is it crime just because they can? Is it the outing of repressed frustration about something? I remember Paris having something similar not a long time ago... twice.
I hope it doesn't last long guys. Be safe.

Personally, I think it's just a matter of time.

I'm afraid the best of times are behind us.

Worst of all, it's all working into "the powers" hands.

They want us to destroy each other like animals.

this is fucking nuts! hope this doesnt escalate out of control

In a way, I feel this statement applies, in a broader sense, to much of what the world is experiencing currently. Not only to the UK riots, but to the global economic crisis as well.

Well a known drug dealer was shot by the police in Tottenham but there were rumours he had no weapon on him etc. Police failed to provide any info and in that absence rumours circulated etc and it kicked off there.

Then it's basically spread with kids deciding to help themselves to TVs and trainers. Yes it's looting and destroying things for the sake of it, there's no political motivation it's kids hell bent on smashing shit up.

Paris was more of a racially segregated thing with immigrants populations rioting against Police brutality. Here in London it's just mindless looting - they sit fire to a furniture shop that's been around since 1867 FFS

And now thanks to them I think we can expect some proper Police clamp downs and renewed calls for mandatory ID cards.

If I may...the root cause of the riots in Paris in 2005 was not the Police brutality but the fact that some young people, following a robbery in a house ran away to escape the police hid into an electric power distributor and died by electrocution.

Paul's right. The powers that be love this shit because they take anything like this happening and pass draconian laws that effect everyone and become more invasive to your privacy. Mindless looting and rioting= very dumb, Rioting or demonstrating for change= smarter.

This is very twisted and sad.
If only those cowards would redirect themselves to Buckingham Palace...

Things are looking crazier by the day. Some pretty wild footage on the news. Riots and looting co-ordinated via social networking platforms too. We live in a brave new world. Stay safe everyone.

I'm a bit fucked off that they keep dragging up the "social network" element. They are texting, emailing and ringing each other. Some stupid ones are using twitter and FB, but mainly they are using the same means that you and I use to communicate with each other, just they have a "cause" however twisted that may be, so they are working super efficiently.
The cops just don't know what to do, they have been working nonstop since Saturday. I'm not a fan of the coppers, but you have to sympathise with them here.

Anyway, Hackney's going into lockdown mode again, the sirens are wailing and tonight should be fairly explosive. The cops aren't playing anymore which will just be seen as a challenge.
Wheeeee!

Fuck man, STAY SAFE!!! Im all for change and racial equality but not like this. I really dont know why folks dont take their looting to the folks that provoke this stuff ie..police, law makers, money markets. Instead they take it out on basically themselves, attacking small businesses and what not. The cause is now lost. Its now all about vandalism. not about a man who got shot.

This shit would never happen in the US. Because here in America we dont give a shit about each other. Theres no unity, Therese no cause. Most people are to afraid to loose their job or worry about what people might think. Its designed that way for a reason. Keep the country busy with their jobs and when they have spare time shove a crap load of TV in their faces that show these ideal lifestyles that are pretty much unattainable. Our youth are even more of a joke, most of them don't know what hard work is. I hate to say it but this "Hippster" fad really bums me out. Kids now really dont give a fuck, they are so self centered and egotistical. We are doomed if we don't change.

One thing to look at between the US and other countries that ACTUALLY have revolutions is that we have cheap food, and for the most part it is readily available to everyone. Here in the US they know if they just give us a little more than nothing and give us the idea that one day if you work hard will be rich and famous we will believe it, and for the most part be bought it hook line and sinker.

sorry to sound so cynical I just woke up and didn't sleep well last night
Have A wonderful day everyone

http://catchalooter.tumblr.com/post/8685233910

Nocturnal thieving benefit scum. Can't believe this is really going on. Unbelievable.

Just waiting for someone to announce where the extra 16000 cops going in to London tonight are from and watch it all kick off uncontrolled elsewhere...

And it keeps spreading...
Its definitely not getting better, any hope of order being restored soon is diminishing quickly.

it's not all bad news. at least there are still some good samaritans left:



more photos of people coming together to clean up the mess

that i LOVE to see!

That's the sort of thing that makes me love London.
Today's been a funny day, last night the city might burn, tonight, just the odd siren. Sadly the riots have moved to other cities, Manchester and Nottingham among others.

Terrible, terrible news of the day is that the UKs main independent film and music distribution centre was burnt to the ground. Over 150 indies hare left without stock and the stores that sell the titles, without the chance to reorder...
The list of labels would bring tears to your eyes. Seriously. Off the top of my head -
Music - Victory, Rough Trade, Sub Pop Thrill Jockey, Drowned in Sound, Banquet, Warp, Nuclear Blast and many more.
film - Eureka (check how much Eureka figures into that Japanese Film thread), Masters of Cinema, Arrow, Shameless, Terracotta, Third Eye and, yeah, many more....
Just cuz some cunts wanted a PS3 and some games, which they didn't even get.

There's a full list of UK music distros here:
http://drownedinsound.com/community/boards/music/4299987?community-latest
Still trying to figure out the full list of film distros.

This is a terrible day for UK indies, the music industry is really not doing well and this won't help.

Its always a huge shame to see that kind of destruction and devastation, but even worse when its caused by people and even in their own neighborhoods. Things were pretty messed up over here after the earthquakes - what happened in the north isn't even comparable to down here in Tokyo, but even here things were a little crazy for a couple of days. But even through that it was an unavoidable natural disaster and people were, if anything, coming together to help each other out and try to make it through together. Really sad to see people acting so opportunistically and trying to pull everyone else down with them.

Much support to everyone in the UK- hope everyone is safe, things are under control soon and the rebuilding can start.

The riot cleanup Twitter accounts have warmed by heart and like Backtrack I remembered why I love this city and indeed this country so much. Sadly a few guys died in my hometown, Birmingham, last night and the violence there was pretty damn nasty.

Looting JD Sports for shoes, robbing Currys/PC World for a computer I get - burning down independent stores, warehouses etc is utterly pointless. These people peope are shitting where they eat.

I wonder if the players/clubs such as Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspure might like to lead by example and start giving part of theur immense wages to help the local communities of supporters to rebuild.