Are all our London brothers & sisters safe?

[Tobus]

I've been watching the coverage of the riots and looting with horror. A good friend of mine is there currently, visiting her parents, and I haven't heard from her.

Can our London members check in and let us know if they're OK? How about a local report on what's happening?

[O'Callaghan]

Joking apart, I'm safe because I'm in Maryland. I am horrified by what's going on back home, though.

There have been riots in England before, but none so widespread. For example, Toxteth, which is a part of Liverpool, and Brixton, which is in South London, both had riots at different times. This time the areas of London that have been affected include at least Tottenham and Enfield in the North, Hackney to the East, and both Lewisham and Peckham in South London, and there have also been riots outside London in both Liverpool and Birmingham.

An old GF of mine used to live in Peckham. Hope she's alright. Peckham always had good and bad areas, but the bad areas were very bad as I remember them. Nearby Lewisham had one nice street full of shops, and some rough residential areas. I used to enjoy eating in the Pizza Garden in Lewisham High Street. Hope they haven't burnt it down, if it was still there.

[Neil Clark]

Wasn't as bad last night apparently. Good thing is we're confident it won't happen in Scotland.I'm actually concerned re some of the comments posted by my ex army pals on FB though, shows how this affects some people. Nit that we were known for our tolerance in the Guards in the first place.

No excuse for any of it.

[Jock Scot]

I am not going to be an armchair ----ologist, but its appalling behaviour of a minority and it is not England's finest hour. As far as I am aware the general and law abiding "man in the street" is safe.

[Chirs]

I am not going to be an armchair ----ologist, but its appalling behaviour of a minority and it is not England's finest hour. As far as I am aware the general and law abiding "man in the street" is safe.

Being, not an armchair but an actual, ----ologist I would point out that this is much larger than England and truly not the Western World's finest hour. Unfortunately, rather than being merely the appalling behaviour of a minority, this is a symptom of much larger concerns.

Putting all academic interest aside, I do sincerely hope that the damage, most especially to persons, is minimal.

[McClef]

Riots are not a new phenomenon, they have happened certainly for the past three centuries also.

This time there have been a lot of opportunists for whom the "cause" is only an excuse to rob and loot and cause damage.

The only word for them is Scum.

I know that part of Clapham well as my union HQ was located there and I was on the NEC for 5 years - what was heartening though was to see the decent members of the community coming together to clean up.

[seanachie]

This time there have been a lot of opportunists for whom the "cause" is only an excuse to rob and loot and cause damage.

The only word for them is Scum.

Here, here! My sentiments exactly Trefor. While not in my location we have witnessed this a few times in recent times in Los Angeles. I have no use for people who resort to these types of behaviors. I hope that there are some creative sentencing schemes for these low life, perhaps cleaning parks and other public area, painting and restoring damaged areas etc along with stiff financial penalties.

[robbiethepiper]

London is a city of 12 million people. Rioting is largely confined to areas I wouldn't care to visit, even mid-week in daylight. These areas exist across the world, in every major city. As for appropriate action - 7.62mm and brickwalls???

[English Bloke]

No excuse for such bandwagon, unruly, destructive behavior. Not surprising that they have organised themselves using Twitter/Facebook and some have even had the audacity to display their ill gotten gains on various social network sites to bite another thumb at the system. Should help to catch some of the scrotes anyway.

Makes you ashamed to be English! This vermin see everything as a free ride and expect the rest of the country to owe them a living. Those that are caught should have their state benefits, state pensions and free health care stopped for LIFE!

It's all rights without responsibility. A sign of the times and the result of tolerated ill-discipline and derision of authority figures for the last 30 bloody years. Monkey see, Monkey do, and when Mum and Dad don't give a stuff for the law and authority, why should the kids?

I listened to our Prime Minister's wise words on the TV tonight. Interesting to see our Members of Parliament rounding on the masses, eager to condemn with another new stable door "tough on crime" initiative when they have all been seen to be flagrantly looting the public purse recently. Fine example to our dysfunctional youth I must say...

We should round them all up and put 'em in the stocks! Then after a good, sound, public thrashing, transport them to the Colonies. And when we've done with them we should do the same to the rioters and looters.

Mmmmm... Can't see this post lasting long although I feel it's not a political statement but an observation and humourous poke at contemporary English society. Good to get it off my chest amongst friends though. Thanks for listening...

Anyway. Back to the picture threads.

No I don't read the Daily Mail... well not every day.

[Tobus]

As far as I am aware the general and law abiding "man in the street" is safe.

I'm not so sure about that. I'm seeing stories of law abiding citizens having their houses invaded and looted. Business owners are having their life's work burned to the ground. From over here, the sense I get is that no one is safe unless they simply leave the area (in which case, they risk losing anything they leave behind).