London riots / UK riots: verified areas • Hacker News Board

Re: London riots / UK riots: verified areas

#141

Post by barrkel » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 1:51 AM UTC

baguasquirrel wrote: post #112

barrkel wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't bet on it. The group dynamic (deindividuation[1]) behind rioting is exactly the same as the group dynamic used to build armies that are willing to risk their lives on orders. Introducing military on the streets like was done in Northern Ireland[2] is a recipe for decades of pain and division. The military are not police; you don't want that. [1] http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/02/10/deindividuation/ http://en.…

Whatever dude. Just ask anyone who grew up in anything resembling a ghetto. There's lots of us who begin to think that shooting rioters on sight is not a bad idea. Where do you think Boondock Saints came from? Honestly, at some point, you just get sick of the shit and you want it to stop, and solutions like the military become appealing. And therein lies the problem. We know it's inhumane. We know it degrades us furt…

This is the path to totalitarianism. The scary thing is that the people actually want it; it doesn't take much to push them into its arms. And that's why it's so important to fight against it, at all costs.

Re: London riots / UK riots: verified areas

#142

Post by parallel » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 2:23 AM UTC

parallel wrote: post #64

guelo wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had always been told that UK cops didn't carry guns, when/why did that change? Was it a reaction to 9/11 or 7/7?

The city of London has it's own police force called the Meltropolitan Police (the Met). This is a different organisation to the normal English police. I think the Met carry guns but the normal police don't. Rome has a similar thing with the Carabinieri, I understand these guys are part of the military.

ok, thanks for the clarification. I was confusing the The Met with the City of London Police.

Re: London riots / UK riots: verified areas

#143

Post by temphn » Wed, Aug 10, 2011, 6:56 AM UTC

barrkel wrote: post #141

baguasquirrel wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whatever dude. Just ask anyone who grew up in anything resembling a ghetto. There's lots of us who begin to think that shooting rioters on sight is not a bad idea. Where do you think Boondock Saints came from? Honestly, at some point, you just get sick of the shit and you want it to stop, and solutions like the military become appealing. And therein lies the problem. We know it's inhumane. We know it degrades us furt…

This is the path to totalitarianism. The scary thing is that the people actually want it; it doesn't take much to push them into its arms. And that's why it's so important to fight against it, at all costs.

I respectfully submit that your priorities are misplaced.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8692110/London-...

In one incident, a man suffered life-threatening injuries when he was attacked by rioters after he tried to extinguish a fire they had started in a bin.

Other residents told how they barricaded themselves into their block of flats as more than 200 masked rioters bent on burgling houses tried to smash down the doors.

Classical composer and musician Leni White told how she escaped her blazing flat in Ealing with nothing but her violin after it was torched by thugs.

Shopkeepers were also robbed and one was left with stitches after looters beat him up and demanded his money.

Re: London riots / UK riots: verified areas

#144

Post by barrkel » Thu, Aug 11, 2011, 2:36 AM UTC

temphn wrote: post #143

barrkel wrote: post #141

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the path to totalitarianism. The scary thing is that the people actually want it; it doesn't take much to push them into its arms. And that's why it's so important to fight against it, at all costs.

I respectfully submit that your priorities are misplaced. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8692110/London-... In one incident, a man suffered life-threatening injuries when he was attacked by rioters after he tried to extinguish a fire they had started in a bin. Other residents told how they barricaded themselves into their block of flats as more than 200 masked rioters bent on burgling houses tried to sm…

I'm sorry, but I don't think democracy is outweighed by thuggery.