London Riots

It reminds me of similar riots in Brixton in the mid 90's.
I was working late in my studio in Covent Garden, and took the night bus home to Herne Hill. The bus kept diverting from the route to get to Crystal Palace and the driver kept changing his story as to where he was and was not going to stop while circumventing Brixton. There were road closures everywhere. I finally switched to a bus back to trafalgar square in Clapham, and slept under my desk.
I took the bus through Brixton the next morning, and there was a police officer standing every 5 meters lining the high street. I have never seen so much police in one place in my life.
And no, unfortunately I didn't bring a camera.
 
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I was a bit drunk watching TV when it came on the news. Was about to grab my camera and hop on my bicycle when I saw a policeman getting knocked out cold and a BBC reporter getting into trouble (turns out he got beat up) with the rioters live on TV and thought better of it... Felt like a sensible old man in the morning when I saw the carnage.
 
Most of the rioters were not the camera type.
They did go and raid the shops that sell mobile phones and flat billed oversized baseball caps thought.

And supermarket, pharmacy, bycycle shop, clothes and shoe shops, carpet store...

Despite the many people taking photos and videos I was not really expecting a RFFer to come on and display a looted M9.
 
And supermarket, pharmacy, bycycle shop, clothes and shoe shops, carpet store...

Despite the many people taking photos and videos I was not really expecting a RFFer to come on and display a looted M9.

Don't forget any shop that sold perfume or perfumed lotions and yes, the shops that sold those over priced sneakers like the Foot Locker, of course.
 
One of the comments on the telly was from someone who said a lot of people seemed to need new trainers. I lived in Winchmore Hill for five years and find it difficult to believe that people are rioting in Tottenham and Enfield. I know that area very well and there's a couple tough spots in Tottenham and Ponders End in Enfield but I'm wondering what the rationale is? No jobs? Fewer services under the Conservatives? People are just bored? Apparently it's spread to Islington & Brixton. Now Brixton I can understand.
 
Brixton isn't that bad. You have pockets anywhere you go. I doubt very much that all but a handful are disenfranchised youths or those pushed to the periphary of society by a bullying, backwards government - not that there aren't plenty of them. It's a stupid shame, all of it, opportunist thieves and troublemakers giving morons more ammunition because of loosely reported and confused stories.
 
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A man was shot by police in Tottenham last week. A peaceful demonstration was overtaken by violence from others on Saturday. Last night seems to have been from people who felt they missed on the previous evening.
 
Brixton isn't that bad.
I know that but it does have previous and that's really what I meant. Places like Enfield don't have a history of violence.

A man was shot by police in Tottenham last week. A peaceful demonstration was overtaken by violence from others on Saturday.
I know a bloke was killed by the police and that sparked it but who are these "others"?
 
Well I'm going up to London this weekend so we could schedule a riot/RFF meet to take place outside/inside Red Dot on sunday ;) Seriously though, any exhibitions taking place i shouldn't miss? Far more civilised, as my rioting days are over! :D
 
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Crap. Came home to a riot outside my flat. Looters and arsonists on my street. Police helicopters still overhead here in Hackney. Have packed my rangefinders and passport in case of a quick getaway.
 
Over the next weeks and months, I hope the police pull the rioters out of their beds at daft o'clock in the morning and haul them up in court. They did it in the Bradford riots and all the better for it.
 
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