We offer unapologetic solidarity and support to those involved in the UK uprisings these past nights. This sentiment extends to both the rioters and to those communities affected by them. We also acknowledge that the unrest has ruined many people’s livelihoods, and homes have been burnt and agree that these will always be the wrong targets for attack. But we know that this sort of looting and destruction are the last actions of the completely impoverished and disenfranchised.
Once again, politicians, the media, and police chiefs tell us that ‘criminal elements’ have ‘hijacked’ legitimate grievances and that ‘thugs’ and ‘outsiders’ are responsible. As the riots spread across the capital and country there are fewer and fewer ways to be an ‘outsider.’ If not ours, then from which society are these rioters?
If the media want to deny one thing, it is that these riots are popular. But surely thousands of masked men and women cannot be “no-one”? Or are they to be deemed of less worth simply because they are unemployed in a country with no more jobs.
Theresa May tells us that ‘violence is never justified’ – yet the police killed Mark Duggan and our government bomb Libya every night. Nick Clegg has said ‘this is nothing but pure criminality’ – yet he predicted exactly this unrest in the election campaign when warning against austerity measures implemented by a government with no mandate. And Boris Johnson, naturally, informs the public that the only people to blame for the rioting are the rioters themselves.
We believe a state monopoly on violence will always destroy communities. We believe that criminality is no good test of whether an action is right. We put the blame for the riots solely on the structural inequalities inherent and persistent in our country and the continued theft of the material resources of the working class. Simply put, the conditions of many today are poverty, experienced alongside marginalization and racism at the hands of the state. They call this an “austerity programme.” They shall reap what they sow.
Community leaders have been wheeled out to continue the division of communities into the ‘good’ and the ‘bad’, as if their communities are not united in suffering oppression and poverty. We urge them not to desert anyone from their community. The Labour Party has clearly abandoned any pretence of representing the working class we see on the streets. MPs Dianne Abbot and David Lammy premise their condemnation of the unrest on the bizarre opinion that those involved are not “representative of the community” but when whole council estates in Hackney come together to destroy CCTV cameras, and attack the police who routinely brutalise tenants, we know this premise is false. In the last few days we have seen an alienated working class on the streets, young and old, multicultural – and united.
The spark for this uprising was the police killing a man, which they subsequently misinformed the family and the public about. From Blair Peach to Cynthia Jarret, from Ian Tomlinson to Smiley Culture and the 1000s of others killed in police custody down the decades, the police kill people and then they lie about it. No-one honestly doubts this any more, and the police surely cannot have expected to continue this disgusting pattern with impunity forever.
The combustion on the streets of London is an indictment of the state of the country, the tragedy of lost homes a painful indictment of today’s society. And yet these events will continue to be likely whilst the working class and black communities suffer oppression at the hands of global corporations, austerity measures, and the police. When the working class community begins such a fight, there can be no doubt where loyalties should lie: With ALL of them and against the police and government.
anticutsspace 
If it ‘s truly against “oppression at the hands of global corporations, austerity measures, and the police” why not attack big corporation headquarters and/or police stations instead of local shops that are also struggling to survive ??????
Its obviously not as simply as that! The people rioting in the streets is a huge range of people for different social reasons, people are so angry that they are blinded by their anger and fear of no future, this should not be met by retaliation by the police an other fellow human beings. It is a truly complicated and oppressed society that we live in today, people have lost connections with the people around them and their inner self. I walk down the street in London and struggle to get 1 or 2 people to look me in the eye all day, people are ashamed of the damage we have done to each other and the planet. People should wake the fuck up…. Instead Scotland Yard is encouraging retaliation and self defense with weapons; not to mention the brutal riot police on the street, which do not keep their oath as peace keeper but are controlled by the goverment to serve and protect the crown. Note. 333 people have died in police custody since 1998 and not one conviction.!?!
brave words. it gets harder and harder to support. hopefully we can all come together in cleaning up this mess!
This is bullshit, sorry. This was no ‘show of solidarity’, this was no ‘oppressed peoples coming together’ – this was, and is – as it’s still going on -, pure and complete thuggery. Clearly, you haven’t read or seen the stuff I have in the past few days. Don’t make excuses. Normal people are terrified, while the chavs run amok. And this is coming from an avid protester and liberal person.
Well excuse me what makes so called normal people think so called “chavs ” are not normal people. Clearly you haven’t read ” Spirit Level” or “Chavs The Demonisation of the Working Class”
I think very much there are oppressed people out there looting.
What is it you tend to protest avidly about ? You call yourself liberal ?? Owning to that and calling people Chavs in the same paragraph is not actually liberal enlightened or helpful. Its a stereotype and from stereotypes we reinforce personal social and institutional prejudice – where do you think sexism , racism,homophobia,
Why do you think we have developed legislation to protect disabled,BME and LGBT communities. Obviously noone would encourage violence that leads to injury but think about who are the real criminals ? Perhaps expressed differently and legitamised by the press but do you not think 26% youth unemployment is criminal , tax evasion -criminal, banking crisis we have to pay for -criminal; illegal wars criminal…Is that kind of looting different – stealing the natural resources from otehr countries and the money from hard working folk by avoiding tax.
Paying footballers obscenely vast amounts to do something they love
The people expressing their hatered and disregard for a system which fails them, attacks their identity and denies their needs and rights are not listened to. They are derided and called chavs – it is no different from homophobia or racism –
Perhaps I have enlightened you a little –
Or am I a Chav and my children Chavs- tell me the job description I might just fit it
Absolutely right Carmen! This is criminality with no excuse… political, idealogical, sociological or otherwise. These thugs need to be taught a harsh lesson now, a lesson that their parents should have taught them a long time ago. How dare they consider themselves part of a community after their actions! People are forgetting that you have to earn your right to an opinion, respect must be earned. As Boris Johnson said earlier, Londoners and the population of England itself are very privileged to live here. These criminals are abusing this privilege.
You don;t need to state you are liberal you reveal it to everyone clearly when you use classist abuse such as chav!
So you have “unapologetic solidarity and support” for people who have had their homes and businesses destroyed, and for the people who destroyed them? And you object to the state having a “monopoly on violence”, yet condemn the government for taking action in support of Libyans who objected to Gaddaffi having a monopoly on violence?
Isn’t it time you cashed daddy’s trust fund cheque and took of on your gap year?
And time you went to sleep 4: 53am why do you assume people are bank rolled by daddy and on a gap year
you cant win on this your either bashing so called chavs or bashing students who are the real criminals if not the likes of Blair Bush Brown and Cameron
Get a grip you sound sleep deprived
I have a job that requires me to work nights. Doubtless this makes me part of the evil capitalist criminal class that is responsible for top footballers getting paid a lot.
“you cant win on this your either bashing so called chavs or bashing students who are the real criminals if not the likes of Blair Bush Brown and Cameron”
What on earth are you talking about? Seriously, you are not making any sense whatsoever.
A bit of education mixed with a hell of a lot of ignorance…of course we have to try to understand what is taking place, but to claim that it is laudable or desirable is just idiotic.
It doesn’t say that. Read it again! This is a collective scream of the disenranchised. Our society is sick. Wake up!
This is the most idiotic thing I’ve ever read. The initial riot may have been sparked by what looks to be a questionable police killing, but you can’t tell me that the gangs smashing up the windows of shops to grab mobile phones and trainers are some sort of freedom fighters.
This is about empty greed and materialism. Smirking, idiotic losers who are only harming other working class people and small business people. Trashing their own communities and neighbourhoods, many of which will take years to recover.
Someone put it like this: ‘They rose up in Egypt to fight for basic freedoms. They rose up in London to fight for a new plasma 42-inch TV.’ I would have to agree. What an empty, vapid society we have.
I agree entirely. Our society is warped. This article makes the same point, whilst pointing to the spark that started it.
What a load of rubbish. You live in a prosperous G8 economy (notwithstanding current difficulties). A Briton born today – any Briton – can, if they have the ability, and the will, go to school, get good marks and go on to do anything they so wish with their lives. Do people from marginalised groups in Britain cop a bit of condescending attitude from elites? Yes. Is there not much social mobility in Britain compared to other English-speaking countries? Probably not. Are there ways around it? Yes. Is it worth setting alight suburbs and beating people up? No. Grow up.
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cant believe that you think this is right! normal people trying to make a living ,burning down local shops that what impresses you you fucking moron instead of complaining and blaming evryone for your situation do something positive to change it .let me guess your going to attack hospitals next ?because its not right that people
get ill!! your a faceless cunt if you and your fellow followers are so brave show your faces
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Karl Marx have written the book “the capital” in London.Because London was all time a good place to see how the rich have stolen the money from the poor.But dont call this from today communism call it by the correct name it is anticapitalism
@ Napoleon. I’ve been wondering why these ‘feral youth’ have targeted McDonalds, Nandos, etc. Just because they’ve got (unshuttered) huge plate glass windows? Other ‘activists’ are ‘opportunistically’ doing that stuff? Any thoughts?
If it ‘s truly against “oppression at the hands of global corporations, austerity measures, and the police” why not attack big corporation headquarters and/or police stations instead of local shops that are also struggling to survive ?
^ I second this. This is why the public views this as opportunistic criminal acts rather than a stand against something.
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C’m offit mate, you just wanted a plasma like the rest ‘o of them. In the 80s we used to call it ‘liberating the surplous value of the capitalist class’. Then we just got credit cards!
I am in complete agreement with Napolean. Its a load of rubbish, these people are rioting because they saw a chance to reap carnage and took it. Charity shops and private businesses are being destroyed. You think alll these people are oppressed? Living in poverty? What do they think this is going to do to the economy of the country?? Idiots, mindless twerps is what the majority of these people are. No I will not stand with the rioters.
Protesters would go to Whitehall to protests. Those that steals from local shops, in all cultures, is called a thief.
Why Destroy Businesses? How is that helping anyone? More people lose their jobs, people who have searched desperately for three to four years to find a job and have it suddenly taken from them by mindless greed! That does not sound like fighting for equality between all classes but more about supporting violence.
No, its an unconfined and out of control expression of anger, but the causes are inherently political. Just heard a girl on radio 4 from croydon saying “we’re doing this to the rich people, its their fault” heard an interview from Hackney saying businesses deserve it ‘cos they’re rich’
If greed, envy, materialism and mindless violence is the cause, then so be it, but these are products of OUR society, we need to recognise this.
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A message to a country on fire
Posted on August 9, 2011 by anticutsspace
We offer unapologetic solidarity and support to those involved in the UK uprisings these past nights. This sentiment extends to both the rioters and to those communities affected by them.
Then you are morons.
Once again, politicians, the media, and police chiefs tell us that ‘criminal elements’ have ‘hijacked’ legitimate grievances and that ‘thugs’ and ‘outsiders’ are responsible. As the riots spread across the capital and country there are fewer and fewer ways to be an ‘outsider.’ If not ours, then from which society are these rioters?
Surely it’s possibly to understand that our greed-crazed society knocks out thieving scum like Coke bottles without egging the little cunts on?
You’re not part of a revolution, you’re not a vanguard and this isn’t the Winter Palace. All you are doing is holding the coats of a bunch of chavscum while they terrorise ordinary people. People who deserve your sympathy a lot more because despite they don’t succumb to their worst instincts and join in with the anhomie that has infected our society from penthouse to pavement.
@ Kerry Dawes “Charity shops…are being destroyed” Not seen that. Any source?
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Good Synopsis, the ‘nay’ sayers in the comments clearly don’t have the first idea about what living in poorer communities is actually like in this country of two unequal parts (those who can consume, and those that cannot). There was a recent survey done by the Sutton Trust which indicated social mobility in this country is lower than most other developed nations in the world (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8639671.stm). You can close your eyes to the facts if you wish, but invariably you’ll get smacked down by those facts even if you are blind to them. This isn’t class warfare, this is those without, rebelling against those with, and those with see them as criminals, those without will see it as getting what they deserve. Coming down hard on these people will only make matters worse and could trigger something far more long lasting than burning a few shops and transport systems. We need to tread carefully or we could trigger a real uprising, and you know what, intelligent people might just join the front lines of these people and make it political. For if these ‘riots’ became peaceful ‘Tahrir square’ style anti-capitalist protests, I might join them myself – If Eygpt can overturn 30 years of dictatorial rule with a street protest, perhaps we can change this terribly unjust capitalist system using the same ideas.
“If it ‘s truly against “oppression at the hands of global corporations, austerity measures, and the police” why not attack big corporation headquarters and/or police stations”
Because the rioters aren’t organized or mobile enough. Probably also self-preservation. Start attacking the real looters (millionaires, banks, police tools of the rich etc.) and you’re likely to get shot dead.
Thank you, Anticutsspace, for standing up to the outpouring of vile bigotry which has been unleashed in the wake of this uprising. For courageously telling the truth in the face of power and flak.
Considering the vast population of these ‘rioters’ are between 14-20 years of age, there is no other possible outcome of this, this isn’t pure thuggery, It couldn’t have just ‘happened’ there was and is a cause, even if there anger is directed at the wrong people, the underlying principle is a class that feel subjected from the rest of England, and this is solely because the country is run by Etonian, Oxbridge folk, who are have cut EMA which some of these people need to access higher education, on top of tripling fees that these people feel they could never pay off. Alongside lowering the money gained from Jobseekers. Listen to yourselves, through the anger you’ve forgotton that this is simply a politically provoked anguish, thats gone completely out of hand. They are targetting shopping centres… they seem to be almost sabotaging whats left of the economy, alongside dangering others and generally being horrible. These people are not intelligent, they are ignorant blood hungry idiots. BUT the underlying reason they are doing this is based on a state of being unheard and unappreciated. We have a bad government, and most of us have let the media tell us otherwise.
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A very irresponsible article indeed. [Notice also that it doesn’t offer any solutions to any of the messes this country’s in.] I believe this to written by another group of middle-class, educated people (much like the ones they seem to be condemning), expostulating about something of which they have little or no experience.
Yes, there are deprived areas of the country and yes, many people probably do see themselves as ‘oppressed’ by others or by the government, but these actions are not of those people, nor out of any sort of desperation. The rioters ARE thugs and if they think they are putting across a valid message to the well-off then they’re wrong. They’re merely children playing games, because the result of those games brings them a cheap thrill and possibly some material benefit. Nothing the government could do or say would EVER make a difference to this mentality.
As for being deprived of the education they need to lift themselves out of their situation, it was the previous government which has made it some sort of expectation that everyone SHOULD go to university and that you’re not worth much if you don’t. Higher education should have much more value than it currently does, but sadly the sorts of people involved in these riots (I refuse to call them protests) aren’t interested in the worth that H.E. can provide. They want simply to be handed stuff and even if they were handed these things they would not be satisfied, nor would it resolve their problems. Parenting in these families has completely failed them, serving only to continue the awful downward spiral.
I’m lucky: I have enough money to buy and do the things I want and no, I don’t know what it’s like to be truly poor. Those who are not so lucky have it much harder – there’s no doubting that. There’d be more sympathy for the cause if they, as many as do, didn’t have expensive smart phones, laptops, iPads, mp3 players, flatscreen TVs, satellite TV services and so many other items which have been (and should still be) considered ‘luxury items’. You CANNOT claim to be in poverty with these products in the home. If they are unable to buy essentials, then they should consider cutting out some/all of the unnecessaries to save money, not complain that they can’t buy food and clothing and so instead go and steal it.
People who have worked hard and honestly – born into wealthy or poorer backgrounds – should not be punished for their deserved success nor be treated like oppressors. Often they are the generous types who give to charity, buy the Big Issue and volunteer in community projects. A system which penalises successful individuals/institutions in order to benefit (supposedly) those less so would only lead to people thinking “What’s the point in working my arse off then?” and I’m still very unconvinced that the perceived ‘benefit’ would ever be realised. Anti-government diatribe is not only meaningless, because of how irrelevant it is in this instance, but also detracts from what is genuinely needed: a positive community spirit to help quash inexcusable crimes against innocent people and to help address social problems in ways which are fair to both ‘sides’.
Sorry for the long rant, but it makes me so angry that the blame is apportioned anywhere other than where it belongs.
“This isn’t class warfare, this is those without, rebelling against those with, and those with see them as criminals, those without will see it as getting what they deserve.”
Deserve? If they haven’t earnt it, they don’t deserve it. This is “have-nots” who think they’re entitled to take from “haves”, who’ve worked their arses off to pay for their families, property, and livelihoods. That is a crime, plain and simple.
These yobs share the same base mentality as you – that it’s always somebody else’s fault, never your own. Or in this case, “somebody else” being your favourite fall guy: the capitalist system™.
It amazes me how you two-bit Marxist ideologues sitting in your ivory towers, can somehow palliate the destruction of working class communities. Not even worth half a paragraph’s mention, according to this blogger.
It’s all about that poxy little cause, isn’t’ tit?
“Good Synopsis, the ‘nay’ sayers in the comments clearly don’t have the first idea about what living in poorer communities is actually like in this country of two unequal parts (those who can consume, and those that cannot).”
Bollocks. I grew up on a council estate in East London and I’m perfectly aware of the conditions. The difference is, I had the burden, responsibility, and self-sufficiency to educate myself and move on up. Today, those very concepts are alien to the statist left, along with the host of scroungers and layabouts they’ve indulged.
“If Eygpt can overturn 30 years of dictatorial rule with a street protest, perhaps we can change this terribly unjust capitalist system using the same ideas.”
Get a fucking grip.
—- I might add, this blog entry disturbingly reminded me of the way the US left and its academe blamed the US (specifically foreign policy) for 9/11, immediately after the attack. Or how a chauvinist blames a victim of rape on her dress length.
What a load of self-indulgent nonsense! The people being most directly affected by this disgraceful behaviour are hard-working members of the public whose homes and businesses have been destroyed. A significant proportion of the population are going through difficult times at the moment but are doing their best to lead productive lives and make a positive contribution to society. I agree that large corporations and financial instittutions are largely to blame for the country’s current problems, but violent disorder is no solution to anything. Having worked all my life I am unable to find a job now, have one secondhand TV that somebody gave me, and do not expect to be the owner of a Blackberry. Nothing would possess me, however, to take to the streets terrifying innocent citizens, setting fire to their property or taking things that didn’t belong to me. There IS NO excuse. Those complaining about having no jobs and nothing to do could start by showing some sign of responsibility for their own future and find ways of helping their community.
Your statement is an excellent expression of solidarity. The Greek chorus of moralizers and righteous citizens condemning the protestors were notably silent during protests of mainly white students several months ago. The explanation is evident.
“The Greek chorus of moralizers and righteous citizens condemning the protestors were notably silent during protests of mainly white students several months ago. The explanation is evident.”
The explanation is that those middle class white mummy boys weren’t ransacking and demolishing working class property, small businesses and killing fellow citizens. In hindsight, their “protest” looks rather pathetic. But even then, your so called “Greek chorus” did condemn that thuggery – if not to the same extent, or in the same numbers.
As usual, the public outcry is relative to the crime.
You have to do better than that. It really is a facile analysis. It seems that much of what has been happening has been about the acquisition of consumer goods, and having a craic. The police were a legitimate target, but that was soon abandoned in the search for off licenses and jewellery shops. As has been said elsewhere these people are motivated by the same greed that motivates the bankers, and there is ample evidence that they have been satisfying it by attacking working people.
Awesome statement. Everyone who is against the rioters: invite the police into your homes to live with you. See how nice they are as people. After a few weeks I’m sure you’ll be rioting, too. Continue sucking the dick of the politicians and rich capitalist class who FUCKING OWN AND RUN THIS SOCIETY. Either that, or side with the rioters and kick the politicians, elites, and cops who work for them OUT of our communities.
i used to work with deliquent teens for years in America. they are being neglected by unjust and greedy system and society. if we ignore the reality of their natural need and hope then we have no idea of their justified rage and then people’s anger against them will be part of their own ignorance and selfishness. when we the sick society are not standing strongly and responsively against the ruler’s repressions then society implode and explode not necessarily the way we like it as always happen in dysfunctional families. we can not allow dominant rich and State power destroy the humanity and life of socioeconomically deprived people for their own benifit and then on the time of continious socio psychological crisis they blame the socities’ intolerance. what now we are obseving it actually is just the begining of growing uprising all around the glob because of extreme violent nature of oligarchic neolibralism which soon make the tyrants of the middle east to implod too, and we eagerly are ready for it because Earth and all living epecies are dying and we all need to raise our consciousness for it and also its the end of religion charlatanism.
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Applause from an Anarchist Living in China.
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I love how comments that fly in the face of this and have no legitmate response are left awaiting moderation. Hmmmm censorship, some free media you have here mate. You want a world where anger is an outright excuse to destroy homes and livihoods.
Sure they are angry, understandable, totally understandable, but this is not a constructive way to express rage and anger.
I don’t want to hear how it is a wake up call to the masses, because it is not, all it is doing is reinforcing the sterotype that youth are out of control feral animals, and i’m afraid they have damaged any chances for the future, they have attacked their own communities, they have attacked those that might have been on their side in solidarity , and I’m afraid it will not turn out well.. for every student and youth looter , there are at least 10 people who pay taxes who will demand tougher penalities and less -soft handed- approaches for those “criminal elements”.
You wait for the back lash.
You wait to see what this stupidity has awakened.
You wait to see the wrath of the working class unleashed. The working class will not stand by and let this happen again. After the night of the worst looting, civilian militia formed in their thousands… angry and ready to dispense their brand of vigilantee justice on anyone wearing a hoodie or that was even young.
You’ve supported a group that has paved the way for their own genocide, you’ve supported a group that is going to allow extreme right wingers in the doors, it’s going to get much , much , much worse and any rioting in the future, will be dealt with , with extreme predjudice.
You think you can fight the power in -this- way?
Then you truely have not seen what the -power- is capable of , nor have you seen the extent of the power.
There is a battle to be fought, but you are a moron if you are condoning fighting it on the streets.
If the public demand the -army- be brought in, then the army WILL be brought in..If the public demand the police be more brutal, then the police will be more brutal… if the public decide they want powers to protect their communities by forming viglilantee groups, then the public will be granted these powers.
This violence is a joke, this violence is not the way to win the war on oppression, because its a war of succession in which you are outnumbered and outclassed.
The biggest cut in this war, will be of population if it continues to go in such a way as to provoke the wrath of those afflicted.
Want a demonstration of what happens to groups that become demonised by the media. An outlet controlled by the power?
Yeah there are a lot of sheep that will buy into the demonisation, and you think you can stop sheep being sheep? Oh no, no, you can’t… they’ll hapilly remain unenlightened and ready to feed “chav’s” into the gas chambers or land fill, because history tells us so.
these riots are a blessing for the powers that be.
Long gone are the days that civilian revolts in the streets can overthrow regimes in the WEST.
We are not some middle eastern country with support from another superpower. The entire world is looking at our riots, and they have no sympathy or solidatiry for our “protesters” because…and simply because, our media has perfected the art of propaganda.
So well done on suporting your own demise *slow golf clap* well done you little radical you *scruffs up your hair* go get them scamp.
Well may as well continue awaiting moderation or not …. funny how such a “free thinking” body even needs to moderate the text of others.
Just to highlight a few things.
We have a nation of immigrants who to their credit have come into the country knuckled down and took the undesirable jobs that half of these “unemployed” have deemed beneath them, but still jobs that are vital to the maintaninance of the community. I know many a nigerian, polish, ukrainian who have come to this country and instantly contributed , hell many who have even set up bussinesses.
They generally come from worse social circumstances than these so called underpriviliged class.
They generally have even more social barriers than these so called underpriviliged people.
The generally have it far far worse and a target of resentment by these people who are namely rioting.
There is proof that oppurtunity exists in this country. It’s the immigrant community who adopted the windrush spirit after world war two who came into this country and set up shops and worked hard so that their children could be educated and fed and a new wave of immigrants do exactly the same. Taking up the jobs these scumbags feel beneath them… lets face it, it’s not cool to work in macdonalds, but it’s cool to be a drug dealer….
So actually fuck you, you know nothing of youth culture, you know nothing of the country on a whole, the proof of oppurtunity is out there.
Sure oppurtunity might not knock on your door , but that’s the thing, you have to LOOK for it.
Maybe you even have to WORK HARD for it and do a job that you don’t want to do.
Just like you students who complain that you’ll always be in debt. Well you can work off that debt.
It will be hard work, doing something you don’t want to do, but at the end of the day it will give you some perspective, it will build your character, that other thing you want to do, you know, changing the world, you can do that too, it just means you have to work harder. Someone not working as hard as you?, maybe they have their targets set lower and are content with their way of life.
Most of these rioting thugs I have seen have aspirations of wearing logo’s and being gangstar rappers. The oppurtunity that they are missing seems to be no one handing everything to them on a plate.
I don’t like cut’s in public services as much as the next person, but if you really believe these thugs are protesting cuts, they are not.
If you really believe they are protesting the shooting of a man who drew a weapon on a police officer, you are wrong.
They are angry after a life of getting nowhere, but they havn’t even TRIED to go anywhere.
Thankyou for this article. I agree wholeheartedly and wanted to voice my support.
Some agreement, and I’m basically sympathetic to the rioters, but “In the last few days we have seen an alienated working class on the streets, young and old, multicultural – and united” is total fucking bullshit. They’re not working class at all, but an underclass. Almost no one over the age of 30 was involved. They are monocultural – indeed this is what binds them, that they are all from the same nihilistic London sink estate culture – just multiethnic. They are ‘united’ in the sense of not having stabbed each other.
Nice text!! Im with you!
BME, w/c people who’ve been terrorised, burnt, robbed, and killed are asking for more robust policing. Perhaps you should stand with them – the immediate oppressed.
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“Good Synopsis, the ‘nay’ sayers in the comments clearly don’t have the first idea about what living in poorer communities is actually like in this country of two unequal parts (those who can consume, and those that cannot).”
I think you meant to say- ‘those that consume, and those that have to pay for it.’
It was those that merely consume that ran amok, wishing only to consume more, and those that already pay for their houses, food and Blackberrys that had their businesses smashed. This was no uprising of the working class, this was the ill-disciplined and feckless going out to take what they can. Their daily lives, but doing the violence themselves rather than allowing the state to do so for them.
Don’t waste your breath with any nonsense about lack of opportunity either… “unemployed in a country with no more jobs”? Don’t make me laugh. There are plenty of Polish finding work. “No more jobs that they don’t think are beneath them, because it pays better to live off the sweat of others, drinking Stella and watching Jeremy Kyle all day” would be more accurate.
Would the cunt that wrote the original post print his/her name and address? Me and some associates would like to visit to show you our …. ur …. support.
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Thankyou for this. As this country gets embarassingly hysterical its good to see people holding their nerve. Ignore the rightwing trolls, disgusted of tunbridge wells’s and pretend fascists commenting above. they’ll calm down and go away soon. Keep it up!
Were you there, in the thick of it, like me? Did you see the looks of evil on these cunt’s faces while they robbed, fought and set things on fire? Did you see the mob culture, setting gangs of their friends on people merely observing?
Just shut up. The fact you’re in ‘solidarity’ with scum like these makes me sick.