“There’s been tension for a long time. The kids aren’t happy. They hate the police. It’s like a war zone and the police weren’t doing anything. There were too many people and not enough police.”-Matthew Yeoland, 43-year-old teacher in Peckham.
Violence has spread to three cities now; London, Birmingham and Liverpool. Police are using armored vehicles in the worst hit districts of London.
Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his summer vacation in Italy, after first saying he would continue with his vacation.
There are so many fires being fought in London, that Thames Water is warning its customers their water pressure will drop.
Most British media, and most British officials say there is no correlation with the riots in the various districts and cities, and no justification.
Many rioters are poor people who’ve been struggling for years to find employment. They’re also the people who’re being hit the hardest but the government spending cuts. Remember, the leaders of the United Kingdom force drastic cuts on social programs, then go on luxury vacations!
In answer to officials calling the rioters “thugs” one man said it was pay back time: “This is the uprising of the working class. We’re redistributing the wealth.”-Bryn Phillips
Young people in the U.K. are especially upset over huge increases in college tuition, cuts in social programs and the total lack of jobs for youth. The unemployment rate is the highest for young adults in the U.K.
Police are so desperate they’re even asking parents to control their children, to keep them from rioting.
The original violence started in Tottenham, after a man was shot to death by police. The family of the man say he was unarmed, and sitting in the back of a taxi when he was shot.