Soaring Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 No, you wait a second... Your police have gun in America and 53 people died during the Rodney King riots. There have been no fatalities in London. I am not saying British police should all carry guns, but here that just would not fly. We would have a whole lot of dead cops. I would prefer it if our police were able to be more like yours. The reality of things here just is not conducive to that. I don't know gun laws in the UK, but it is way too easy for the wrong type of people to get guns here in the U.S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I am not saying British police should all carry guns, but here that just would not fly. We would have a whole lot of dead cops. I would prefer it if our police were able to be more like yours. The reality of things here just is not conducive to that. I don't know gun laws in the UK, but it is way too easy for the wrong type of people to get guns here in the U.S. Handguns are banned in the UK. I have never even seen a gun or know anyone to have been involved in any kind of gun crime. And I have lived in 2 of the UK's biggest cities. Reminds me of the headlines pre 2010 World Cup by the British Press. The tabloid press in the UK are scum, but you're no better with that comment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob2012 Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I am not saying British police should all carry guns, but here that just would not fly. We would have a whole lot of dead cops. I would prefer it if our police were able to be more like yours. The reality of things here just is not conducive to that. I don't know gun laws in the UK, but it is way too easy for the wrong type of people to get guns here in the U.S. From what I've seen most of the rioters who did have weapons had bats or sharp objects, not guns. Gun laws are very tight here and there isn't a need or a want for normal police to be armed with firearms. Talk of using plastic bullets if things get worse is already getting people twitchy. We don't have armed police (apart from specialist units) and we don't want them here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 Where are the trebuchets when you need them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soaring Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 OK, that is good. Handguns won't be banned in the US, as gun laws have actually become looser in recent years. Chicago had a ban on handguns, but it was recently declared unconstitutional and has been lifted. The way police are armed should reflect what is allowed by people in society I guess. If everyday people can get guns, then the police should be armed just as well. I have shot a few guns before, and it is exhilarating, but never shot a handgun. I don't know if I would support a complete ban on all guns, but certainly handguns and assault weapons should not be legal IMO. Stringent criminal and psychological background screening should be conducted for anyone who wants a gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 Did u guys hear about this Swedish guy trying to split an atom in his living room? (I don't think he was a relation to Brevik.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lee Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 Now, the riot has reached Manchester. Must admit that it is very scary here tonight all of a sudden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwebb Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I said at work today that I thought London would be quiet tonight and other cities would be the places to watch. So far, it appears to be following that pattern. My gut feeling right now is that last night represents a peak in this disorder and it will now quieten down in the days ahead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyelBrazil Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I said at work today that I thought London would be quiet tonight and other cities would be the places to watch. So far, it appears to be following that pattern. My gut feeling right now is that last night represents a peak in this disorder and it will now quieten down in the days ahead. In a couple of days London will be back to normal life. Unfortunatelly stupid people do stupid things like this disorder of yesterday. This kind of things happens in big cities. I'm sure London will host amazing games next year without a single problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwebb Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 There are 16,000 police on duty in London tonight and 30 forces have sent reinforcements to the capital. We will feel the effects of, and be seeking answers to the questions arising from, these riots for years to come. But be in no doubt - we WILL recover. We WILL overcome and we WILL welcome the world in 12 months time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 Now, the riot has reached Manchester. Must admit that it is very scary here tonight all of a sudden. Hope you are all right there in the city centre,Lee. Can you see/hear much disturbance still going on? Here in the suburbs, all is quiet thankfully! It must be the American in me, but I have a hard time imaging an effective police officer without a gun. They are called "mall cops" here in the U.S. Anyway, if there is not an overriding need for British police to carry guns, then I guess that is good (so long as pandemonium doesn't break out... wait a second). Don't forget that it was a gun incident that sparked off these riots in the first place. I shudder to think what would happen if the police and the rioters started shooting each other. There would bound to be fatalities and, mercifully so far, no-one has been killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted August 9, 2011 Report Share Posted August 9, 2011 I fully understand the severity of the situation thanks Mainad. My elderly mother, most of my family and many many friends are caught up in it all and I am worried sick. This has great repercussions for the games and I have never denied that. I wasn't having a go at you Lee, I just thought that it better to focus on the very real news stories about these riots rather than trying to shoot the messenger. Somebody or other was bound to comment sooner or later. I can understand how worried you are about your family and I hope they are all okay! I'm from Londoner and still proud of my home city despite what's going on. I want these toe-rags strung up and beat for doing this. Don't talk to me about race relations and budgetary cuts. This problems exists because we have allowed multiple generations of bad parenting go unchecked and this has led to a decline in the values, morals and principles of your average Brit. I think your average Brit is as moral and law-abiding as ever but I agree that a significant minority have become feckless and anti-social over the years.Bad parents invariably breed bad parents and I think it is high time the book is thrown at the parents of these underage kids who think it is fun to run about our streets smashing shop windows, stealing the contents and setting fires willy nilly. To me a parent who lets his kid run amok smashing up town centres is like a dog owner who doesn't control his pet. Both are the ones who are ultimately responsible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 My gut feeling right now is that last night represents a peak in this disorder Try telling that to the people of Manchester, Salford, West Bromich, Wolverhampton & Birmingham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrianme17 Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Michelle - shut the feck up - go to bed or better still come over here & help with the clean-up or find a strategy for the way forward - considering you seem so bothered,! Am off this forum for a while - my city is being wrecked & needs me - salve! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted August 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 A slight over-reaction; The idea that it reached a peak last night seems a little naive, when you have 'unprecedented' scenes in central Manchester tonight... that is the only point I am making, no more, no less. We have enough problems where I live, Adrian. I'm posting on here because I'm worried about the implications to the Olympic Games in your city next year. Last time I checked this was an Olympic forum on London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotguy Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 A concerning state of events which hopefully will decrease soon, i am hoping that they do not reach Scottish Cities. I have just heard that 3 people have been killed in Birmingham, dont know if it is related or not. Keep safe all our members in these areas If this happens this time next year, whilst the Olympics are on, this would not be good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwebb Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 A slight over-reaction; The idea that it reached a peak last night seems a little naive, when you have 'unprecedented' scenes in central Manchester tonight... that is the only point I am making, no more, no less. We have enough problems where I live, Adrian. I'm posting on here because I'm worried about the implications to the Olympic Games in your city next year. Last time I checked this was an Olympic forum on London. You're missing the point I'm making. I was watching news coverage until late last night and have been catching up with the news in the hour or so since I woke up this morning. The "unprecedented" scenes referred to for Manchester are a reference to that city and that city alone. Everything that I have seen and read so far indicates to me that last night's events are on nowhere near the same scale as what has happened on previous nights. You may claim you're worried about the implications for next year. The problem you have is that I don't think anyone who has been here for any length of time remotely believes you. Your reputation as one of the harshest critics of London in this forum, if not the harshest, goes before you whether you like it or not. I'm realistic enough to know that anyone who posts on a public forum has an agenda of some kind. Your problem is that you have appeared to have a wholly negative one in relation to London for some considerable time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 Michelle's quick posting of the story -- yes it is news, I find equally disturbing as the riots themselves. I'll give Michelle the benefit of the doubt on her speedy posting of the story and its scope, but the perception almost seems to be one of 'glee.' What does it really add? I mean people who've bought tickets and have been planning to go...are STILL going no matter what. People like me, barring an invitation from Buckingham Palace or Jacques Rogge's office, aren't planning to go--so why add this extra note of alarm? The only redeeming aspect I see is that LOCOG and the authorities will just have to line up solid Plan B's on their sked now in the event things might become unmanageable next year which I obviously hope will not be the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brekkie Boy Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 The army on the streets of Europe's biggest city - never thought I'd see that day. Some are saying water canons with permanent dye would be effective way of noting who these terrorists are. And I call them terrorists because they are exactly that. I don't think anyone could have predicted the lawlessness that has prevailed in the city, or the extensive violence used against shops. Diane Abbott, MP for Hackney said it best "these people are destroying their own areas, wake up". Completely agree regarding the term terrorists - they have had people living in terror over recent nights in a way Al Qaeda could only dream of, and I agree both water cannon and the army should be employed now rather than letting the situation get worse before it gets better. It is alarming reading about all these riots, I mean after seeing all the peaceful little English villages on my BBC dramas (altho I failed to tune into my BBC News of the, I guess, Real World last night). These peaceful little English villages where someone is brutally murdered every week! I guess the one thing that can be said about Atlanta (for all its so-called mediocre Games) is that they've NEVER really had any racially-motivated disturbances!! (Having lived in Atlanta, I know that it's just too hot to care about getting hepped up over anything during some of the summer days. Again, the Olympic days turned out to be surprisingly mild that summer of 1996.) Although of course London has had more than it's fair share of race riots in the past these are pretty multi-cultural affairs. Indeed if they were race riots they'd probably be easier for the country to get their head around. What I have a problem with is the way that Michelle seemingly almost cannot wait to get to her computer and report something negative about London. I have rarely, if ever, seen a positive comment in the last year.Had it been anyone else then i would have forgiven a few innacuracies in reporting but Michelle seems to revel in London 2012 news stories, but only on the negaitve ones. I have never seen her post so much. People need to let any personal issues go and concentrate on the topic at hand. It's a big story and if Michelle hadn't posted it someone else would have, and though I have no idea or even concern about some posters previous issues with Michelle it's clear here that they are not gloating in any way shape or form. Handguns are banned in the UK. I have never even seen a gun or know anyone to have been involved in any kind of gun crime. And I have lived in 2 of the UK's biggest cities. Thankfully one school shooting was enough here for the government to put the protection of the lives of children over any rights to own a gun. I guess it is a dangerous game of cat and mouse as they don't want to encourage these gangs to arm themselves (Amazon is already facing flack over a 7000% increase in the sale of batons in recent days). However I believe the threat of plastic bullets won't do anything to deter those out to make trouble - they'll just see getting hit by one as a potential compensation claim! OK, that is good. Handguns won't be banned in the US, as gun laws have actually become looser in recent years. Chicago had a ban on handguns, but it was recently declared unconstitutional and has been lifted. The way police are armed should reflect what is allowed by people in society I guess. If everyday people can get guns, then the police should be armed just as well. I have shot a few guns before, and it is exhilarating, but never shot a handgun. I don't know if I would support a complete ban on all guns, but certainly handguns and assault weapons should not be legal IMO. Stringent criminal and psychological background screening should be conducted for anyone who wants a gun. It's a shame the US put the right to bear arms above the rights of a child to go to school without being shot. A concerning state of events which hopefully will decrease soon, i am hoping that they do not reach Scottish Cities. I have just heard that 3 people have been killed in Birmingham, dont know if it is related or not. Keep safe all our members in these areas. In a way as distressing as the spread to other cities is I bet London are relieved that a bit of the focus is being taken away from them. Hopefully Scotland, Wales and especially Northern Ireland can avoid any incidents. Any way it's all going to be solved the way the Brits handle everything - a nice cup of tea. http://www.operationcupoftea.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arwebb Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 This isn't the right place to discuss it in depth, but I have heard it argued that the ban on handguns is one of the worst examples of panic legislation in our history. Anyway, there don't appear to have been any reports of disorder so far tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baron-pierreIV Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 These peaceful little English villages where someone is brutally murdered every week! True. But they're done very quietly and artfully. I mean without a murder a week, what would the dicks & the town gossips do? The police force has to earn its keep, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainad Posted August 10, 2011 Report Share Posted August 10, 2011 This isn't the right place to discuss it in depth, but I have heard it argued that the ban on handguns is one of the worst examples of panic legislation in our history. Panic legislation? It was one of the sanest and most reasonable pieces of legislation ever passed! Nobody but nobody should ever be allowed to own or possess a handgun or any other firearm unless absolutely and strictly necessary. The harm firearms can do far outweighs indiscriminate use of any other weapons save bombs. The riots in London and other English cities were aparked off by a fatal shooting. Mercifully that is the only instance of firearms being used by anybody during these present troubles. I pray to God that this will remain the case!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
its a bid of magic Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 France burned for 24 days back in 2005 http://articles.boston.com/2011-08-12/news/29881218_1_french-riots-housing-projects-youths Was that before or after they lost out to London to host the 2012 Olympics? Two things have happened in the last two weeks which set well for next year. The riots have happened, done, dusted, yesterday's news in chip paper. The weather has been pretty mixed, nice, we'll have a heatwave next year. Jobs a good 'un. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Tickle Posted August 15, 2011 Report Share Posted August 15, 2011 France burned for 24 days back in 2005 http://articles.boston.com/2011-08-12/news/29881218_1_french-riots-housing-projects-youths Was that before or after they lost out to London to host the 2012 Olympics? Two things have happened in the last two weeks which set well for next year. The riots have happened, done, dusted, yesterday's news in chip paper. The weather has been pretty mixed, nice, we'll have a heatwave next year. Jobs a good 'un. I was thinking that also about the weather. Everyone I know has been complaining Ive been very happy. Better it bad this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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