As I look out of my bedroom window I can see the plumes of smoke that are still rising from the burned out Sony warehouse in north London. As I watch them pile into the sky I have a few thoughts:
If the looters were genuinely desperate, they would be hunting out staples - bread, milk. If they were, then perhaps I'd feel some sympathy for them. Instead they seem to be targeting shops that sell smart phones, trainers, tvs and games consoles.
Whilst not wishing to denigrate the events of the past 4 days, I do have a problem with the rolling news footage. With its perpetual loops of footage and doom laden scripts it seems like we are on the brink of Armageddon. As ever with the news these days, perspective is a casualty
The police, so keen to 'kettle', threaten and intimidate during the student fee protests have appeared impotent here. Are they acting to different orders, or were they cowed by the mobs of predominately young men who seem more than willing to fight back? Of course, the police may well argue that they were being prudent and patient - gathering evidence before picking off the criminals in separate raids.
In business, key members of staff are never allowed to take holidays at the same time. Why then were so many major members of the government lazing around pools or short changing waitresses?
With the police unable to deal with the gangs (and how chastening was it to watch footage of coppers standing by as looters went about their business?) in some areas groups of local residents have taken matters into their own hands.
If it is it too simple to say that the looters are just opportunistic thieves, what is the reason behind these explosions of violence? The original riot in Tottenham could be directly associated to the police shooting of a local man. But the following events seem less politically motivated than outpourings of extreme consumerism conducted by people who believe that they will get away with their theft.
No comments:
Post a Comment