Shameful. Shocking. Embarrassing. Childish. Ignorant. These are some of the words that come to mind as I watch the news footage of the London riots and subsequent riots across the UK.
On Thursday August 4th, Mark Duggan was shot dead by police who had tailed him in a minicab. He was said to be carrying a gun and quite obviously had a criminal background and criminal links. I don't know whether he was rightfully shot or not but quite frankly there hasn't been enough time to find out. Of course I don't think the police should go around shooting people but for Mr. Duggan's brother to claim that he was a gentle family man is way off the mark - that kind of person doesn't carry a gun. Also, I read that his wife had said they planned to move out of the Broadwater Farm area and 'start a new life' - it's amazing how many people say that but never do...
From this incident, a group of people gathered outside the police station demanding answers. Fair. However, a number of people then decided to take to the streets and cause havoc. I can't even call it a protest because the only thing I've seen is violence and criminality. Smashing up cars, setting them on fire, burning down buildings and shops, attacking the police. None of those are constructive in the slightest and quite frankly have nothing to do with the death of Mark Duggan - his death has acted as a catalyst for what has subsequently happened.
These individuals have gone on to loot shops in Tottenham, Enfield, Brixton, Wood Green, Westfield, and in the short space of writing this I can add Hackney, Peckham, Lewisham, Deptford, Catford and more. These people in my eyes are worthless, unintelligent scum. I'd say 99% probably had never met Mark Duggan, yet they have decided to go out and cause as much damage as possible, essentially in his name - thankfully his family have condemned their actions. These individuals are caught up in some sort of deluded buzz, running around with their hoods up, posting their activity on social networks and taking part as if it's some sort of recreation. 
Any parent of the individuals responsible should be utterly ashamed. They should feel great responsibility. You brought these people up with these morals. You brought these people up to think that this sort of behaviour is acceptable. I know that even if I walked past an empty PC World with people streaming out with goods in hand that I would walk away - because I know that it is wrong. People's livelihoods have literally gone up in flames over the past few days, and for what, in the name of what - nothing.
Unfortunately, many (not all) of the individuals I have seen to be involved are black youths (just to be clear I am not at all claiming that it is solely black youths responsible and I do understand the part the media can play in creating these images). Yet this angers me greatly. If any of you read this you are giving every law-abiding black person out there a bad name, you are making black people look like criminals, like animals, like ignorant pieces of dirt who have nothing better to do than cause trouble. Not to the average person out there in the world, but you are provided the casual racist with easy material to add to their hatred. For this you should be most ashamed. You are a fucking disgrace. You all are! Every race, every age, you are a disgrace! If people cause chaos because they believe it to be a means to an ends I can at least understand the reasoning, even if it is far fetched and unfounded. Yet the people I have seen in the last fews days have been doing it simply for the sake of it. Copy cat vandalism and sheer criminality.Lastly, I am fearful of what lies in store for London in the days ahead. If the police and the government don't get a grip of this I honestly don't know what might happen. Why have the Prime Minister and Mayor of London been on holiday all this time? Why has the army not been brought in to deal with this? I think that would quickly make these individuals re-think and retreat. We have been slow to act and what we have done has not been good enough. If I was a religious man I would be praying tonight.
I'd be really interested to hear what you think?
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