London's Burning

[DanaC]

It's pretty horrible.

Watching the news it was just surreal.

It's like an orgy of violence and looting. What's disturbing is that so many of them are young, like really young.

Some of it seems to be due to the major disconnect between the police and the youngsters in these communities. This is the 'lost generation'. Interestingly, what appears to have sparked off at least one of the riots was apparently the police stop and searching a young lad (whom they then let go having found nothing). This seems to be a real grievance of young people now is that they are the ones being subjected to excessive stop and search these days.

Not that that's an excuse for rioting through the streets and setting fire to people's cars and property. But there are some serious questions that need asking about the relationship between police and the communities involved, particularly the youth.

I don't think it's a coincidence that this is happening when confidence in the Met is at an all time low. I'm not wholly sure what is at the root of this, but the police have one hell of a job on their hands in regaining confidence. I think the shooting just sat as an unfortunate symbol of a much deeper malaise.