London violence raises 2012 Olympic concerns

You know as much as people whine about Japan this would never happen here. This is beyond madness and a real social issue of UK poverty, jealousy and boredom rolled into one. A few thousand nit wits can really make a nation look bad. Break out the rubber bullets, water hoses and tear gas and let em have it. I recall articles years ago saying putting the games in London was a disaster in the making...right Becks & Posh.

The thing that really annoys me about this is that I can put money on none of them knowing why they're rioting. Most of them are just using it as an excuse to ruin the lives of hundreds of people.

Interesting article in the guardian today. http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/jul/29/young-people-gangs-youth-clubs-close?CMP=twt_gu

Mindless thugs,outdated Police tactics,School Holidays.The number of teenagers running around just looting mainly electrical goods.The crazy bit is these morons torching cars and buildings.

Add in the recession,no jobs,a whole swathe being taken out of education with crazy fees.The unpopularity of the Met Police who are corrupt,and these kids just don't care.They have long lost any respect for any authority,just ask any teacher.

I do worry about the upcoming Olympics,my old worry was we got it and all the expense just as the Global recession bit,now I worry about people wanting to turn up.Guess we are lucky they have sold so many tickets in advance!

As a foreigner to the UK, I would think that most sensible people around the world know and understand that this is not a reflection of the local general population. It's just some immature punks being irresponsible..... but still, I also understand how someone from the UK would be embarrassed as well. I am from Vancouver, and I was embarrassed after the rioting there following the Canucks loss in the Stanley Cup finals.

They managed to clean up Barcelona before their olypics. They just rounded up all the homeless, drug dealers, prostitutes and lowlifes from the Ramblas and downtown area and litreally dumped them outside town and told them not to come back until after. It seemed to work.

What began as a peacefull protest in regards to police shooting was taken over by yobos who need only the slightest excuse to thieve,and rampage. Police officers have been injured in the line of duty,trying to protect homes property and business. Over 200 arrests have been made so far.I sincerely hope they throw the book at the culprits followed by a big lump of concrete

Well said by all above. I am ashamed that this small minority can ruin everything for the vast majority. My2sense you ahve hit the nail on the head. Japan and the UK both have problems, but they are completely different ones, and sometimes I feel that both are equally bad, just at opposite ends of the extreme.

Most peaceful, law-abiding Brits really have had enough now. There are many calls to send in the army and sort these louts out once and for all. As someone rightly said, most dont even know why they are there, they are just anarchists hell-bent on causing trouble.

All this apparently started because a guy - painted as a "good guy, loving father, family man etc etc" - was shot dead in London by the police AFTER having shot at a police officer. What kind of "good, loving, family man" carries a gun and shoots at police in the first place?

People in the UK are mightily frustrated by what has happened to our country over the years. Everyone I speak to says good for me for getting out and they would go too if they could. It`s not that things are wonderful anywhere else, but this - this is just insane. Whenever I get frustrated about life in Japan I always know a quick trip home is all I need to happily return and thank my lucky stars I am raising my children here!

To all non-Brits here: PLEASE dont think that these excuses for humans represent the whole nation, and I apologise and hang my head in shame on behalf of my country for the scenes you are witnessing.

Sorry meant to add:

....opposite ends of the extreme but on balance I will take the comparative safety, politeness and respect that the majority of Japanese have for their country, people and environment over the BS I regularly witness back home any day.

"But there ain't no cure for the summer time blues"....except maybe rioting and looting.

"As a foreigner to the UK, I would think that most sensible people around the world know and understand that this is not a reflection of the local general population. It's just some immature punks being irresponsible..... but still, I also understand how someone from the UK would be embarrassed as well."

I don't agree. People have been leaving england by the 100's of thousands each year to get away from this kind of thuggery that happens on a daily basis most cities. So this isn't just "some immature punks being irresponsible", it's in fact part of the british cultural fabric.

So this isn't just "some immature punks being irresponsible", it's in fact part of the british cultural fabric.

Sadly, you are right, but the vast majority of people in the UK are good, decent people. It is still the minority ruining it for everyone else.

I was thinking of going. But now I am not so sure. It sounds changed from my last visit back in the mid 90's, and the changes don't sound too good.

Comparision

What does China Brazil and London have in common ?

China, Brazil and London had riots !!!! What does this say ? If your country will have the Olympic Games expect riots and cars on fire.

No, people are being disenfranchise

defintion : .to deprive of a privilege, right, or power

Poor people in China, Brazil and London have been disenfranchized. Maybe the riots have been ochestrated by somebody to destroy the neighborhoods and build new things for the Olympics.

Maybe it`s a conspiracy ????? Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!!!!

hey, new information

the black guy didnt have a gun he was unarmed. Police recovered police issued bullets at the scene. It didnt come from the unarmed man because his fingers is not a licensed firearm it came from a cop`s gun.

Ohhhhhhhh noooooooooo

Guardian newspaper reported that the bullet in the radio was police-issue, indicating Duggan may not have fired at the officer. Ohhh no police shooting at police. Ohhhhh nooooooo

hey, new information

the black guy didnt have a gun he was unarmed. Police recovered police issued bullets at the scene. It didnt come from the unarmed man because his fingers is not a licensed firearm it came from a cop`s gun.

Ah, ok, I stand corrected, I didnt have the latest information. But I heard a non-police firearm was recovered from the scene. If that is true, then what was the guy doing with a gun in the first place? Would that suggest why he was shot?

My brother, my uncles, cousins, many of them live in or near London. They ride taxis, take the train, none of them have ever been shot dead. None of them carry guns either, to my knowledge. So why was this guy specifically shot dead? Was he really just a completely innocent man going about his business that the police just decided to take a potshot at?

I agree it is time to send the army in. We have all had enough of these thugs. When I was home last New Year, a guy and his girlfriend were walking home from a party, and some thugs stole the hat from her head. Her boyfriend said "OK lads, youve had your fun, please hand the hat back" and got beaten to death for his trouble. Better still - they are all bleating that they dont have jobs - get them into the army and send them to Afghanistan.

Just seen some footage of TV crews standing next to teenage hoodies openly looking around the area and discussing which store they were going to "do over" next and laughing about it. A woman living in the area said she has packed an emergency bag in case she has to flee her home. They are even invading peoples homes! Its insane!

I lived in London about 8 years ago - never really saw any violence and I was all around the city for 2 years. It seems as though things have really gone pear-shaped in that city, which I find very sad. Violence and mob-rule seems to be par for the course - there seems to be a serious lack of police, and the BBC is reporting that the few police on duty are just standing back and watching the looting. Is this due to people rebelling against the conservative governments there? Unless London can get at least 10,000 new police fully trained before 2012, it isn't worth the risk - and the Olympics are meant to be peaceful, not in the shadow of civil war.

I agree it is time to send the army in

I agree too. Things are just going to escalate - half the city is already under mob rule.

I visit my country of birth rarely and then only to visit family that is still resident there. I left in 1979 during the woefull Thatcher era, when that not for turning poor excuse for a woman was behaving like a dictatorial despot. I am so glad that I made that decision as my sons and daughters have grown up in a much better environment and have successfull carreers.Sadly those I left behind are not that much better off financiaaly then they were at our departure,even though they have worked hard to maintain thier families.They are the ordinary decent folk of England who continue to carry on doing thier best regardless of any economic situation. They are not thieving, rampaging nor are they arsonists, so I for one will not hang my head in shame over the the criminals who reek mayhem on London streets.PS We are still looking for home rule for Yorkshire

Christina, if MT were still PM there'd be a whole lotta folks knowin' order will be restored sooner than later... if her government ever let England devolve to this sorry state in the first place.

Please don't get ticked at me. You left England for what you felt are better shores anyway.

I am not ticked off with you,just angry that villians roam the streets and use social deprevation as an excuse for doing so. Like i said the yobos do not represent my country of origin, they defile it.. Bring back the stocks or whatever it takes to restore law and civilised behaviour but please not another Thatcher

Terrorist in London ..? Where is peace....

Bring back the stocks or whatever it takes to restore law and civilised behaviour but please not another Thatcher

I'll second that. The lady not for turning espoused monetarism as economic policy and said there is no such thing as society. Started off well, perhaps, by kicking things into shape (the winter of discontent and militant killed off Labour), then promptly proceeded to destroy whole communities by closing down industries too quickly with inadequate provision for retraining, especially the coal mines (Pete Postlethwaite's speech in Brassed Off sums it up nicely), and became as nutty as a fruit cake - so much so that even her own party gave her the boot. Oh yeah, and used the Royal 'we' when she said "We are a grandmother". Sorry. Couldn't resist :-)