London Riots 2011

As you have probably heard earlier this year, riots developed in London and other major cities in the UK at the beginning of August 2011, but many people are unsure why as the main reasons are unclear. 

Following the death of Mark Duggan on August 4th, where an attempt to arrest him ended up in a police shooting, riots broke out in Tottenham, where the shooting originally occurred. The reasons for this are still mixed, as witnesses had different interpretations of what happened at the scene. The attempted arrest was due to a suspicion of Mark planning revenge for his cousin, Kevin Easton's death as he became "increasingly paranoid", about the violence that had taken place when Easton was stabbed fatally in March as he left an East London bar. Police also mentioned that Duggan was an alleged drug dealer and well known for other offences by the police, although his family denied this, saying he was “not a gang member and had no criminal record”.

The shooting seemed to have a huge impact on the people of Tottenham, claiming there had always been tension between the police and the black community that lived in the area. A protest march took place on the 6^th August, demanding justice for Duggan and his family. Riots followed that evening, appearing in Tottenham and many towns surrounding it. Once the media had spread the news, the nights that followed displayed copycat riots in many towns and cities all over the UK, spreading as far as Bristol, Nottingham and Liverpool. This continued for 4 nights, people all over the country looting and rioting. For most it was an excuse to steal from shops and supermarkets and the initial point of the protest in the first place was lost. People also began to claim that the rioting was because the government were not doing enough to tackle Tottenham’s problems with high unemployment levels.

Thanks to the media present at the scene of many riots, picture evidence was used to identify the people involved and police began to make arrests for damaging and destroying properties and buildings. Others were also injured and some killed – many police and fire fighters attempting to put an end to the violence.

The picture above displays the utter devastation to some areas.

Now, discussing this issue develops great irritation (like many things). Why people feel the need to criticise the government, complaining about insufficient funds to sort out a problem, then cause more problems costing more money is beyond me. Surely sitting at home all day unemployed would give you plenty of time to work this out? Obviously not. Secondly, why stealing from local businesses and destroying other peoples property is going to help demonstrate your opinions is also a matter which i cannot understand. People work hard to build up an business and keep in running day in day out, without the worry of some greedy criminals breaking into and destroying everything they own. The rioters just seem to have made life a whole lots more difficult for everyone; including themselves.

Other than great disturbance to many towns and cities for many nights in August, what effects did this actually have?

Students and the unemployed arrested for such violence are now filling up the UK's prisons. And yes, you guessed it, spaces are running out. The prison system was tested to the maximum in August when rioters dominated the large amount of people already going to prison, around 100 people in total going to prison every day that month, leaving only about 1,500 spaces left. 

Now, prisons are still suffering, on the verge of overcrowding. Rioters and looters really hadn't thought about the consequences or effects on everyone else. 


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