London Riots

[x635 4,066]

The destruction is unbelievable. 49 "Primary Fires" at once. The whole incident is insane.

Timeline of events:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14436499

Aftermath Photos:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14436195

Initial article with maps:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14435251

[abaduck 123]

Be aware this area has 'history'; in 1985, the residents murdered, and attempted to decapitate, an (unarmed, of course) cop during an episode of rioting.

Unsurprisingly there has been ongoing tension, but the present situation (there's been rioting and looting in other areas of London tonight) is pure gang criminality; all the scrotes of London seem to have taken this as an excuse to have a night off from mugging, and loot stores in mobs instead.

Mike

[x635 4,066]

Mike,

Doesn't London PD NOT carry guns? Only specialized officers?

[sfrd18 360]

Mike,

Doesn't London PD NOT carry guns? Only specialized officers?

Correct Seth. Actually, according to a wikipedia article, the majority of police officers in the United Kingdom do not carry guns.

As for London, the Metropolitan Police Service have a fleet of Armed Response Vehicles(ARV's), police cars manned by officers carrying firearms. ARV's are dispatched to emergency calls in which firearms may be present. However, regular police cars are manned by unarmed officers.

Edited August 8, 2011 by sfrd18

[abaduck 123]

sfrd18 has it mostly right; a very few officers are routinely armed - mostly VIP protection officers, officers on airport patrol, and all members of the specialized force which protects nuclear facilities.

Otherwise, UK police don't normally carry firearms. There are specialized firearms squads, such as SO19, which can be called into firearms situations, and ARVs, as mentioned, which are cars with firearms in a safe, which can be opened on the orders of senior officers in response to a specific incident. And any firearms-qualified officer can be issued a weapon for a specific pre-planned operation - for instance, a squad of detectives acting on a tip-off and going to arrest a gang of armed bank robbers in the act would be the classic example. I'm no expert on UK policing but that's the situation as I understand it.

Other than that, British officers are entirely unarmed, by tradition, with a heavy emphasis on 'policing by consent' and the rest of the Peelian principles.

Mike

Edited August 8, 2011 by abaduck

[abaduck 123]

A third night of riots in progress, even worse now, with some very big fires. Click this link and hit the red 'LIVE NOW' button for live BBC coverage:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14449675

Mike

[x129K 1,393]

Mucho Fuego.

[sfrd18 360]

A third night of riots in progress, even worse now, with some very big fires. Click this link and hit the red 'LIVE NOW' button for live BBC coverage:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14449675

Mike

Crazy!

On a side note, I think the LFB could use a few Aerialscope towers for some of those blazes.

[abaduck 123]

From the helicopter shots they were showing a few minutes ago there seems to be a risk of a conflagration in Croydon... a major unfought fire was auto exposing buildings across the street... so much radiant heat even the painted road markings were catching fire some distance away.

The maximum penalty for arson in the UK is life. I hope a lot of these thugs get it.

Mike

[cas2383 22]

From spending a lot of time there and getting to see the area they are going to have their hands full.

[PFDRes47cue 653]

The entire event has been a complete tragedy. It is a shame to see what is happening in London. The fires being set have such devastating potential. I just pray that the Police, EMS, and Fire personnel stay safe and out of harms way.

[abaduck 123]

Right place right time...

Life for arson boys and girls, remember that... and they've just arrested three for attempted murder of an LEO, I'm hearing.

Mike

[Just a guy 493]

It's time to stop being nice and CRUSH these riots. I don't know what kind of equipment is available in London but it appears that Dogs, less than lethal munitions, LRAD'S, and an army of cops is needed.

If memory serves, it seems that London had had a lot of rioting in the past few months. Something to think about is whether or not people are taking advantage of the police being unarmed, and the fact that the police try to calm sitautions verbally first. It's 2011 and this may not be the best way to police anymore.

I wish the best of luck to my brothers and sisters in England, I hope they are safe and put this riot down quickly.

[sfrd18 360]

Right place right time...

Life for arson boys and girls, remember that... and they've just arrested three for attempted murder of an LEO, I'm hearing.

Mike

Wow!

[abaduck 123]

It's time to stop being nice and CRUSH these riots. I don't know what kind of equipment is available in London but it appears that Dogs, less than lethal munitions, LRAD'S, and an army of cops is needed.

If memory serves, it seems that London had had a lot of rioting in the past few months. Something to think about is whether or not people are taking advantage of the police being unarmed, and the fact that the police try to calm sitautions verbally first. It's 2011 and this may not be the best way to police anymore.

I wish the best of luck to my brothers and sisters in England, I hope they are safe and put this riot down quickly.

Crime Cop, Brit police have always been, and will always be, unarmed - or the vast majority of them will anyway. That's such a cherished tradition it won't change. From Brit LEOs I know, very few of them want to be routinely armed, and a lot would quit rather than be forced to accept a gun. It really is that ingrained.

Having said that, these are NOT normal times.

David Cameron wants the Met to be 'more aggressive' tonight, and make far more arrests. Quite right, but that makes them more vulnerable to ambush too. Remember PC Blakelock - the officer the local 'wildlife' killed and tried to decapitate the last time there were major riots in this area; that happened when he and his team were going in, trying to make arrests, and they ended up ambushed, outnumbered and separated.

Every officer who is qualified to carry a firearm should be armed tonight.

Mike

[abaduck 123]

Riot policing, Brit style: a riot shield being used to carry a nice cup of tea :-)

Mike

[JohnnyOV 2]

Riot policing, Brit style: a riot shield being used to carry a nice cup of tea :-)

Seems like the "make love, not war" concept is really working out over there... I'll wait till tomorrow morning's news to stand corrected on my sarcasm.

[SOUSGT 357]

Riot policing, Brit style: a riot shield being used to carry a nice cup of tea :-)

Mike

Looking at this PC, I wonder what she is doing with a shield in the first place. Also check out the PC in the background! Is this the Met or Dad's Army?

As far as riot policing Brit style, maybe its time to call in an air strike?