Riots in the UK

[oscillatewildly]

^^^ OW, I heard there was some disturbance in Bromley last night. Can't be a million miles from your folks.

Meanwhile, back in Clapham Junction:

Be afraid!

(Courtesy of http://twitpic.com/photos/TimMontgomerie)

About the same distance t'other way. Thankfully they should be okay - the distance from town/shops. It's small business and those living above commercial property.

The photo - where is Battle Cat?

Cheers,
OW

 

[Peterkro]

The Met Police are putting images up of looters on their flickr site:

I think you dropped this, "alleged", we wouldn't want to prejudge a persons guilt or otherwise would we.

 

[iStudentUK]

According to BBC live news feed a 16 year old has been arrested for inciting violence through Facebook posts. Good job! People seem to forget Facebook posts aren't immune to scrutiny!

 

[nebo1ss]

I think you dropped this, "alleged", we wouldn't want to prejudge a persons guilt or otherwise would we.

Do you think this is an alleged looter?

 

[Kissaragi]

Do you think this is an alleged looter?

Looks more like a jedi to me

 

[Mord]

Do you think this is an alleged looter?

No, he's a twitter troll. Completely not a looter.

 

[robbieduncan]

Just walked home from Bow Road station. The petrol station and bookies shop on the main road are already closed and shuttered. Local corner shop near my flat is open but all shutters are down apart from the door which is only open enough to let people in and out.

Passed the Police stables and they are ready to go. Two horse transporters (they seem to have borrowed one from the City of London Police) loaded and the riders lounging around in full body armour. They looked in good spirits and quite relaxed. My best wishes to them, I'm sure it's going to be a long night.

 

[JetBlack7]

Do you think this is an alleged looter?

Of course not, he is just showing off what he got at the Apple Store

 

[Peterkro]

Do you think this is an alleged looter?

How are you going to identify someone from that?

 

[iGav]

How are you going to identify someone from that?

Well, he's stupid enough to take a photo of himself with his booty, it looks like he was stupid enough to take the photo in his home, and he's probably too stupid to know what Exif data is. Please... please let him have a phone that geotags his photos.

The other way of looking at it of course, is that he now has something other than excuses, he now has the tools, I wonder whether he'll use them to actually make something of his life?

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Do you think this is an alleged looter?

sad part is covering ones face does no good when you post it on twitter. That nice user name is generally enough to link it back to a single person.

Not that criminals are really that smart.

 

[Portaluk]

Reports are stating that the rioting is starting up again, this time in Manchester.

 

[Roessnakhan]

How are you going to identify someone from that?

Probably compare it to his Twitter profile pic: https://twitter.com/#!/toray

But apparently he did it as a joke and has receipts: http://lockerz.com/s/127876199

 

[sim667]

I don't think you'll find many people who would say Duggan was totally lily white,the problem is the Met issued a statement inferring he had shot at police and was killed as a result,not quite a straight out lie but fairly close.Given the Mets previous record of lying and it's corrupt relationship with the corporate media it's no wonder people demanded answers and took to the streets in anger.

Duggan certainly wasn't lily White, however an IPCC investigation has found he didn't open fire before being shot, his gun had not been discharged.

Tis has been building up for yonks, it's stems from the s43 and s44 that the police use, and them openly saying that they use racial profiling.

Police & youth relationships have been at an all time low for years, when I was 17/18 I was stopped and searched more times than Id like to count, and I can understand why is got to this point.

Of course the scrapping of EMA, 75% cuts n the youth service, the cost of university changing from £6000 to £27000, no job prospects, a shocking relationship with police, and a Tory toff government only interested in their own personal finances are the cumulative reasons for this....

Of course the uk public blame everyone except themselves for this, but in all honesty, they voted in a Tory government, they've done this..... But it's easier to take a race hate approach to things, insist we need the army, and then say we need to sterilise and undertake eugenics....... Glad to see the British public learned nothing from the threat of a nazi Britain in the second world war

 

[robbieduncan]

Duggan certainly wasn't lily White, however an IPCC investigation has found he didn't open fire before being shot, his gun had not been discharged.

Am I the only one who doesn't care that he didn't shoot: he was carrying an illegal gun in public with a chambered round.

 

[iStudentUK]

Am I the only one who doesn't care that he didn't shoot: he was carrying an illegal gun in public with a chambered round.

Exactly, the police shouldn't have to wait for a shot to be fired. On the other hand, there must be a real possibility of the suspect using the weapon at the time.

So long as Duggan was an imminent and significant threat taking him out was the right move. Unfortunate that it happened, but correct.

 

[JetBlack7]

Am I the only one who doesn't care that he didn't shoot: he was carrying an illegal gun in public with a chambered round.

I guess people only think if he fires the weapon its illegal.

 

[robbieduncan]

I guess people only think if he fires the weapon its illegal.

Then people would be wrong.

 

[Portaluk]

Exactly, the police shouldn't have to wait for a shot to be fired. On the other hand, there must be a real possibility of the suspect using the weapon at the time.

So long as Duggan was an imminent and significant threat taking him out was the right move. Unfortunate that it happened, but correct.

The initial story/rumour was that Mark Duggan was being held down on the floor by police when he was shot.
This is what started the peaceful march to Tottenham police station on Saturday.

Whether he was held down or not only time and a full investigation will tell.

 

[JetBlack7]

Then people would be wrong.

I know. I was agreeing with you

 

[steviem]

Exactly, even a deactivated gun or a toy gun (or a table leg wrapped in a cloth) is a gun if it is being used to scare people. If you have were an armed police officer with somebody pointing a gun at you and wanted to go home to your family at the end of the day, it's a no brainer. What is it they call it here in the US of A? Suicide by Police Officer?

If he really was the evil, nasty piece of work it looks like he was and it really was him rather than a poor guy who just looked like him, then I'm glad he's the one dead rather than the Police Officer and I'm glad that the Police Officer pulling him over wasn't a regular unarmed PC. Can you tell I just heard from my Cop dad and stepmom who are working 12 hour nights instead of having their planned holiday?

 

[Peterkro]

Probably compare it to his Twitter profile pic: https://twitter.com/#!/toray

But apparently he did it as a joke and has receipts: http://lockerz.com/s/127876199

Arf! Aside from the amusing joke at the expense of those that are fond of racial stereotypes,if that photo was real it would be completely useless as evidence without corroboration,the boxes could be empty or contain anything,the data on shot is circumstantial at best the photo could be of anyone.A half competent brief would run a Walter Mitty defence and have it thrown out.Of course if found with the actual evidence it would quite rightly be bang to rights.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Then people would be wrong.

I don't know how the law works in the UK, but in the US simply pointing a gun at someone qualifies as assault with a deadly weapon, without regard for whether the weapon is loaded.

It would be ludicrous to forbid police from shooting a suspect who is pointing a gun at them. On the other hand, based on the very fragmentary information I've read on the shooting of Duggan, it appears that he did not fire at officers and may not have even pointed his weapon at them. Still, if he was known to be armed, then he is immediately raising the likelihood that he or someone else will be shot in any confrontation.

It sounds like the police may have mishandled the incident with fatal results, but I don't see how these riots can be in any way be considered a legitimate or reasonable response. They are harming innocent people - not the police, not the Tory government, not the wealthy and powerful. It is self-destructive.

 

[Peterkro]

Exactly, even a deactivated gun or a toy gun (or a table leg wrapped in a cloth) is a gun if it is being used to scare people.

I presume you are referring to the murder of Harry Stanley,if so the table leg was in a plastic bag and he did not in any shape or form attempt to scare anybody.With their history of cases like this (and there are many of them) is it any wonder most people don't believe a word the Met says.

 

[iStudentUK]

I don't know how the law works in the UK, but in the US simply pointing a gun at someone qualifies as assault with a deadly weapon, without regard for whether the weapon is loaded.

Same here. Intentionally or recklessly causing another to apprehend immediate personally violence is the definition of assault.

Of course here simply being in possession of a gun is a crime! (Yes there are licences, but they are mostly for farmers etc and handguns are completely banded).