I'm poor, but I wouldn't do this, what they are doing is a choice, its not got any cause to it now, they are just doing it for doing its sake, its out of control, and unless something happens to make them stop its gonna get worse and worse, this is gonna go down in history as a let down by those in charge of the country, well those meant to be in charge, as lets face it, where theres rioters they are the ones holding the cards because there's too many human rights, and too much pussy footing around, allowing innocent people and animals to be in danger, I read in the sun yesterday about a man and wife with a young baby whose flat had been set in fire and they were having to stay in their car, which was then having things thrown at it, those who do this are not people, I don't know what they are. But whoever they are they are the ones holding all the cards, and they are the ones controlling areas right now, holding many people in fear, causing many pounds in damage, and until the goverment step in, and get the right people in I don't think those that have made the choice to do all this are gonna get bored, they know that theres not much to stop them right now, they are running riot and having their own brand of fun, and to hell with anyone who tries to stop this, but there are people who can stop this, its just whether the goverment will allow them in, or whether the goverment want to save more money that they lost, and over work the people who have not been trained enough to cope.

This isn't to do with benefits and poor victim youths - this is to do with the second or third generation who've got the idea that they can do whatever they want, that they have rights with no responsibilities and whatever consumer good they want that day - they get.

This is the product of decades of undermining schools, the police, any forms of authority in favour of listening and no consequences whatsoever - and now, it's escalting because every eejit up and down the country is watching this (instead of Jeremy Kyle) and thinking "ooh that looks like a good idea and I might get a new telly" and copying it, having seen the police pretty much overwhelmed in London - they see it as no consequences at all and free stuff and a bit of a laugh.

The difference with this from the previous riots like Meadowell, Oldham and the like is that now it's a 24 hour televised, twitterised (and if that ain't a word it is now) reality TV experience - and that's probably accelerated the spread of it. You've got people posting pictures of their looted stuff (although the guy sporting a bag of tesco value basmati rice really missed the point somewhat I think) - so people get the idea, and, like the idiots here last night, they decide to take themselves down to try to get into JJB for some new trainers (they failed that one thankfully).

The last thing this lot need are the bleeding heart brigade making excuses for their behaviour - it's that culture of excuses that got them through school knowing of no consequences for their actions only their rights, and got them into adulthood and having kids themselves who believe similar... no wonder there are 10 and 11 year olds out in the fray - I know of at least one 7 year old who hangs out with gangs, I hear kids aged 8 or 9 describe how they go out on a night robbing stuff (just random things like washing peg bags off lines - but they see nothing wrong with it and people make so many excuses instead of saying "no, that's wrong" and that's how it starts).

Could see this coming for years sadly.

Spot on, agree with everything you say!!!!!!!!!!

What utter rubbish! I'm sorry but that kind of "poor them" softly softly attitude is a major part of the problem, lots of people in developing countries are a damn site more impoverished and yet you don't see them mugging people and burning their houses down!!!

Everyone is having to make cut backs, it's part and parcel of a recession I'm afraid. If they're so incensed about having their precious benefits taken away then let the army recruit them, they'll get a lovely warm bed a decent wage and in return will be expected to work hard. Oh no wait, there in lies the problem - getting off their lazy backsides and being made to work. Heaven forbid eh?!

Couldn't agree more, you only have to watch the cop programmes...all these yobs reckon they know their rights...it's against their human rights to be confined to a cell for too long, to be handcuffed, to be jostled...the times Clive is called in to the local police station to mend the cell locks, he hears the police asking the criminals if they want a blanket and/or a hot drink before they settle down for the night...he was gobsmacked when he was sweating buckets one night as it was so warm, only to see prisoners being released because the heating wasn't working properly in the cells

The time has come for the general public to speak out against the yobs/thieves/criminals and, rightly or wrongly, I think we will soon see cases of vigilantes taking the law into their own hands unless the government stops cutting back the number of police, puts the street lighting back on and concentrates on problems at home rather than sending out millions of pounds to war torn countries to fight their battles for them.

Agree,
As the PM as stated if your old enough to engage in these mindless acts of theft,arson,vandalism then you are old enough to be punished severely for it.

I am so sick of the flaming excuses in society today,no discipline in schools,very little in homes,parents not giving too hoots where there kids are and what there doing,and we wonder why we have witnessed such tragic events of the past few days.

Shows what an absolute farce of a justice system we have,as these people,youths,kids,mature adults are not frightened of even showing there faces on camera

I know it will be incovenient to us again but what isn't to be honest but if they shut off the social net working sites and phone masts for a while might that stop the trouble a bit anyway. If it isn't twittered, tweeted and all the other stuff we have now to recruit and and let the criminal element know whats kicking off and when it migh slow down enough for the police to get a grip on it.

Failing that get a big island and dump them all on it and let them sort it out amongst themselves. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

I said exactly the same thing this morning.....

It is worse than we think..
Some of the footage coming out is so awful and depressing ...

I saw Ken Livingston briefly last night, but I don't think he was sticking up for them - but merely expressing an explanation of why these people feel the way they do. Of course those reasons don't make it ok (and they're only one side of it really) - but identifying the reasons could be a help in combating it.

There are some however (and I guess who you're referring to) like the vicar of Tottenham who I think inflamed it all - being really brash and loud and saying 'people want answers this community is urting!' surely he knew what he was doing!!

Why are these idiots doing it? Probably partly because of what Ken was saying (no jobs, no hopes) but I would say also, because of the culture in some of these circles - they get 'upset' because they can't have what the flash rappers and pop stars have!!! They all want a millionaires lifestyle but life isn't like that for 99% of us!!!

Of course there are genuine grievances too - but we all face discrimination in some degree or another - whether it's not being educated enough to the colour of our skin or being the wrong sex... but we all cope and do our best.