21st Century Wire Managing Editor Patrick Henningsen appears on The Alex Jones Show to discuss the recent unrest in London and other parts of the UK this week.
READER COMMENT: “To claim that these disaffected youths are the vanguard of some organic revolutionary movement is completely asinine. If this is a genuine backlash against the establishment, why are the mobs not congregating around Downing Street, the Houses of Parliament or Buckingham Palace, the real culprits of Britain’s economic degradation. Why instead are they busy filling trolleys full of tennis shoes, mobile phones, along with plentiful supplies of booze and cigarettes from tiny local off-licenses?”
Editor’s Note: Sadly, what we are witnessing here can be summed up as a racially motivated incident using humiliation in order to establish social dominance. In a lawless environment, any gang will use their upper hand to carry out unspeakable acts and this is one example of what we can expect, an act which can destroy decades of integration and racial progress. It could be anyone of any colour, but you cannot deny after seeing these multiple reports that there is a very real and negative, economically-fueled, and territorial-based racial tension that exists under the surface in some areas of the UK. 1000 years ago, this would have been defined as tribal strife, but today in modern Britain, the tribes are perveived through economic status, and also colour.
This picture shows the shocking depths the thugs were prepared to plumb – stealing the clothes from a man’s back.
The taller, broader man already holds a pair of white and green trainers and a white T-shirt in his hands. Now, it seems, he wants the trousers too.
The shorter man dutifully removes his jeans, leaving only his dark blue underpants and his white socks.
Humiliation: A young man is forced to strip to his underpants in the street, having apparently already handed his T-shirt and trainers to a looter. There were unconfirmed reports last night of victims being made to strip in Deptford, south London, and in Birmingham (PHOTO: Twittter)
The image appeared on Twitter as internet rumours claimed that, on top of widespread violence and looting across London, thugs were even removing clothing from their victims.
Several people on Twitter claimed there have been incidents of victims being stripped naked in Deptford, South London and Birmingham but, because of the very nature of the alleged incidents, the reports remain unsubstantiated.
In the photograph the ‘victim’ – his face pixellated – stands on the kerbside in a quiet side road and appears cowed before the other man after handing over his clothing.
By Patrick Henningsen 21st Century Wire
In London
August 9, 2011 – 2:00 AM GMT
A third night of social unrest has plagued London and the UK this past Monday evening, hitting Clapham in South London, one of the city’s major transport, rail and commercial hubs.
Groups of youths spent the evening breaking into dozens of businesses, looting, ransacking and setting fire to many of them.
Similar riots and youth vandalism has also been reported in the London boroughs of Enfield, Peckham, Lewisham, Hackney, Ealing, Notting Hill, East Ham, Woolwich, Camden and Croydon. New outbreaks and incidents are being reported by the hour.
DOZENS OF INCIDENTS: Violence sprung up all over London last night stretching police and fire services.
Trouble was not confined to the capital, as the Midlands major cities Birmingham and Manchester, Bristol in the Southwest, as well as Liverpool in Merseyside were hit with a significant volume of violent incidents, looting and arson.
The first major riots took place on Saturday night in Tottenham North London, where local crowd reacted in response a police shooting incident. Sunday night saw copycat mass disorder, violence and looting in Brixton, South London.
The Brixton riots were not political like the Tottenham riots, rather, these were organised via gangs of youths using SMS text messages, and BBM Blackberry Messaging, in order to pick and hit their retail targets.
LAWLESSNESS HITS LONDON: Youths use rubbish bins and furniture to block vehicle access on streets (PHOTO: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
According to numerous eyewitness reports, the majority of the rioters were youths of mixed males and females between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age, and mostly of Afro-Caribbean decent, with older youths in cars directing activities.
Groups of youths as large as 200 strong were reported in some areas.
In all cases, youths were determined to get their hands on easy to carry away retail goods, mainly electronics, mobile phones, cloths and trainers (sneakers).
This same profile was also seen vividly in Clapham this past evening. As the situation spreads into new areas in the city and the UK, the profile of looters continues to expand to encompass nearly every ethnic demographic, but confined to working class.
In most cases, police have been slow to react to vandals, and upon arrival often being forced to stand back waiting, watching rioting youths run wild, and wait for reinforcements and fire services to arrive. By this time, the situations have spiraled out of control.
Shocking video footage of looting and violence in Clapham South London.
RT video footage of disturbances in London last night.
In Enfield, North London, a major Sony Electronics distribution centre was sacked and then set on fire by a gang, with fire services still trying to control the blaze this morning.
Police report that approximately 250 arrests have been made so far in London.
In numerous instances tonight, mobs have turned on press and local residents who were seen to be filming with cameras and mobile phones.
Clapham resident James Downey described the scene at Clapham Junction, “This is total lawlessness, mostly we saw young teenagers who were out for a jolly, doing what they want, grabbing what they want in stores.” Downey added, “This kids obviously have no future, how could they trash their own communities if they thought they had a future. This is really sad.”
Another South London resident who is unnamed stated, “These groups of youths with their hoods and bricks are acting as if no one can stop them, they seem intent on putting fear into this community. I’ve lived here for 20 years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The last three days’ events will undoubtedly have a catastrophic effect on London’s economy, hitting both large and small businesses and lopping additional security costs and insurance premiums on businesses across the capital and the country.
Clapham was the first high profile, middle and upper class area to get hit by this week’s social unrest in the UK.
In addition to commercial businesses, already cash-strapped public services are currently being stretched by events this week. According to Scotland Yard, over 1,700 additional police are currently being deployed the in London to deal with the violence.
Met Police Commissioner Tim Goodwin has already made a public appeal to residents to “help clear the streets”.
Voters and politicians will no doubt be clambering for more police powers and harsher court sentences for anti-social behaviour in an attempt to quell future incidents.
Pressure will also be mounting on city officials and police to exhibit a “show of force” in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympics next summer.
Officials expect more copycat incidents to continue this week.
21st Century Wire
21st Century Wire 