Brixton violence and looting (7th Aug 2011)

[gaijingirl]

This is all very depressing.

It's really not as bad as some sections of the media and 99.99% of twitter reports. Most of the smashed windows are some sort of glass, thick plastic sandwich so no access to what was behind them.

I kind of mean that I'm constantly telling people how much I love living here, how great it is, only to be met with jokes about "riots" and shootings etc. Today I have messages from people asking if I'm ok etc etc... all down, no doubt, to some opportunistic twats with no real axe to grind, just wanting to get some free stuff. You can tell people about all the good stuff but when they see this shit on TV, that's what they think about where we live.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Well, lets hope they aren't stopping grannies from going out and about. Will report back later.

A reporter was reporting from the High Road and it looked like it was taped off from MacShitey's and there was no pedestrians on that side of the street. A bus was stopping, but couldn't see if people were being let off, but they said the tube was shut

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I didn't go to Splash but I hope that people don't try and blame last night's problems on the Splash event as it does seem a well enjoyed event by the majority of people.

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if it turned out that the majority of the troublemakers aren't even Brixton residents.

Course people aren't going to blame Splash. It had absolutely nothing to do with the looting

 

[jakejb79]

What a shame this has happened, this wasn't a riot against the police it was just an opportunity that people took to loot from the shops. Looking through some of the picture of Brixton and indeed of Tottenham (where they set fire to houses) it's shocking.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Nah, turned out it was just a wheelie bin full of misleading tweets.

I hope he killed them, otherwise he's useless

 

[tufty79]

Nah, turned out it was just a wheelie bin full of misleading tweets.

for those of us pontificating about cupcakes earlier, the guardian's blog reports that ms cupcake was handing them out for free this morning by kfc to show that 'brixton is about love... There is kindness in brixton'. i like this.

 

[Pickman's model]

i thought brixton was more about drugs than cupcakes

 

[ajdown]

Nandos is closed until further notice - apparently the Clapham High Street one got its window kicked in too.

 

[Pickman's model]

Nandos is closed until further notice - apparently the Clapham High Street one got its window kicked in too.

a victory for gastronomy.

 

[tufty79]

i thought brixton was more about drugs than cupcakes

who's to say it can't be about both?

 

[Pickman's model]

who's to say it can't be about both?

so that's what's being handed out

 

[kittyP]

The splash was really god fun! We had a a boogie, ate some lovely food and much fun was had.

I am glad that one of the BBC reporters said that The Slpash went off well and most people had well gone home before this started.
It would have been shit if, what is a great community event, had in some way been blamed for this.

I am too with Mrs M that it seems to have been very much blown out of proportion (in terms of Brixton).

I also think though, that even if the looting there was was just opportunists nicking stuff who do not have a political issue, there are still far too many disaffected (young?) people, very poor people who feel ignored and who have bad relationships with the police and their communities. Not 'black people'.
It does seem like whether they mean to or not, they are saying "look, we are here, you can't ignore us and hope we will go away", especially in this current very difficult economic time.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

for those of us pontificating about cupcakes earlier, the guardian's blog reports that ms cupcake was handing them out for free this morning by kfc to show that 'brixton is about love... There is kindness in brixton'. i like this.

Really, I've never had one yet. This could be the ideal opportunity, or has she run out?

 

[Dooby]

for those of us pontificating about cupcakes earlier, the guardian's blog reports that ms cupcake was handing them out for free this morning by kfc to show that 'brixton is about love... There is kindness in brixton'. i like this.

Oh that's what was going on! I passed them doing that this morning, was bit confused and indeed felt WAY too ill to go near cakes..

 

[CH1]

I kind of mean that I'm constantly telling people how much I love living here, how great it is, only to be met with jokes about "riots" and shootings etc. Today I have messages from people asking if I'm ok etc etc... all down, no doubt, to some opportunistic twats with no real axe to grind, just wanting to get some free stuff. You can tell people about all the good stuff but when they see this shit on TV, that's what they think about where we live.

It's always been like that in Brixton. I was warned not to come here in 1977 - before anyone had heard of rioting. Then it was mugging people perceived as the threat. Back then many (most?) people were actually overtly racist - the idea of multicultural Britain is actually relatively new.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

It's always been like that in Brixton. I was warned not to come here in 1977 - before anyone had heard of rioting. Then it was mugging people perceived as the threat. Back then many (most?) people were actually overtly racist - the idea of multicultural Britain is actually relatively new.

Yeah, there would have been NF marches about that time. I remember them

 

[CH1]

Oh that's what was going on! I passed them doing that this morning, was bit confused and indeed felt WAY too ill to go near cakes..

Shame I missed this. Really curious to see what they taste like. Although judging by the size of those in any proximity to their shop, it's not gonna help my diet!!

 

[DJWrongspeed]

I am glad that one of the BBC reporters said that The Slpash went off well and most people had well gone home before this started.
It would have been shit if, what is a great community event, had in some way been blamed for this.

Agree entirely, it's a sad irony that Splash is about how much Brixton has moved forward since the riots

 

[quimcunx]

Possibly the most confusing tweet I saw last night was some EDL bloke saying he was at Brixton Splash and there was no trouble happening.

 

[stuff_it]

So not working class, not gentry. Ah, unemployed maybe?

Brixton on Sky News now

Don't be tarring all 'unemployed' with the same brush now either! With the economy sinking like a stone, massively increasing numbers of unemployed want nothing more than to get off benefits.

 

[stuff_it]

I was in the Beehive last week when an anemic shifty looking individual came right in my face saying "Guvnor you look like someone who wants a nice bit of fish"- thrusting a freshly shop-lifted bit of Salmon from Sainsburys right under my nose.
"Not if it's stolen" quoth I
"Well get you - fuck off then - this is BRIXTON not Chelsea" says he. "Why don'tcha just fuck off up the West End?"
First time I've been balled out of a pub for being too posh and honest - at least since I was a student in Manchester in the 70s.

He was right though, there aren't many parts of London where you can avoid the convenience of having your shopping brought to you in the pub, if you sit there long enough.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Don't be tarring all 'unemployed' with the same brush now either! With the economy sinking like a stone, massively increasing numbers of unemployed want nothing more than to get off benefits.

I'm not! I was asking Emet if he was

 

[ajdown]

One commenter sums it up well on the Nandos page on Facebook.

"Its shockin that ppl dnt av morals any more! How ppl tink its ok 2 do wot they r doin is completly rong,i hope they all suffer for ther rong doings x"

apparently.

 

[stuff_it]

One commenter sums it up well on the Nandos page on Facebook.

"Its shockin that ppl dnt av morals any more! How ppl tink its ok 2 do wot they r doin is completly rong,i hope they all suffer for ther rong doings x"

apparently.

Spellings are the healing of the nation?

 

[London_Calling]

.

 

[Chilavert]

Sky News live from KFC now.

 

[Badgers]

Live from KFC? Better than pre-recorded from Nandos but still grim.

 

[Chilavert]

Quite!

A few of the journos were congregating in the Ritzy earlier. On the plus side I doubt they'll be taking over the square again for the time being.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Quite!

A few of the journos were congregating in the Ritzy earlier. On the plus side I doubt they'll be taking over the square again for the time being.

Why? Ritzy tables taking up all the space?

Oh right, you mean the Ritzy, not the journos

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Ran into Rachel Heyward (Coldhabour councillor) who said there was some incident near Southwick House about 18:30 yesterday. May not be related though I guess.

I think that was the flaming binbag I reported to you when I saw you in the market today. twitter reports of large bands of dangerous rampaging youths close to my house were grossly exaggerated.