-
Tonight's riot forecast:
The red dots are the main trouble spots tonight, but besides Enfield, Tottenham, Edmonton, Brixton, Walthamstow, Edmonton Green and so on, there have been outbreaks in Westfields (armed officers and dogs), Chingford Mount, Waltham Forest ('yoofs' looting a shop), 'disorder' in Oxford Circus, a police windscreen was smashed in Islington . .
0310: *Update from the Met Police:
“Police are tonight responding to copycat criminal activity across London and are deploying officers to tackle it.
There has been looting in a number of boroughs in north, east and south London by small and mobile groups. Groups of youths continue to attack police officers and a number of police vehicles have been damaged.*
Still hearing lots of sirens racing around the place, seem to be coming from the east now . . .
-
Hmm yet the student riots were reported live all day by the Beeb and Sky? Not that I'm saying there is a blackout, but if it's violence related then surely they are fairly equal. I think it's more to do with how late at night it is, 1am is hardly prime time telly, would they bother sending out teams of reporters to cover this? Does that ever happen (actual question, does it?)? Also there are laws against doing live streams from helicopters after a certain time at night so they wouldn't be able to do any sweet aerial shots.
It's not a lack of desire to report, or a media blackout (in fact the Met have confirmed there is no blackout).
Reporters are out covering this now, but because of the nature of what's happening (it is fast moving, sporadic and unpredictable) they can't send cameras out to cover it. Cameras are expensive and they don't have that many. There are also security issues, I've heard from reporters that have been hiding their phones because they don't feel safe. These are not nice people to be around.
The Met have just put out a statement which you can find Tweeted by a Sky News journalist here. It's clearly not definitive though as it doesn't mention Dalston (for example).
-
The baddies were reading it to gain advantage over the night, when the police report they have secured XXXX go riot elsewhere . . . ?
Guess.
I refer you to my post further up the thread:
The BBC have a policy of not reporting on looting while it is taking place, for obvious reasons. In fact, I'm sure most responsible news organisations do.
^ That really isn't going to help either. The Guardian may be enjoying riots on a Tory watch arguably fuelled by cuts and enjoying being busy comparing it to the 80s but it's really not that responsible.
Very poor editorial judgement.
-
I was responding to this:
So according to the Guardian, Mark Duggan's gun was hidden in a sock and the bullet lodged in the police radio was a police issue one...
This was about 4 hours ago. The Guardian's coverage of that was, to put it in plain English, shit stirring. It implied that the police had set upon an innocent man and shot him to death. And as for their live blogging, as I said any responsible news organisation would not be live blogging locations of looting and so on as it happens in a city of 10 million people.
-
Tomorrow's headlines anyone . . . ?
I'll kick off with:
The Telegraph: 'NIGHT OF SHAME'
The Guardian: 'FUCKING TOLD YOU SO'
Daily Mail: 'ENGLAND BURNS !'
The Sun: 'I PREDICT A RIOT!! lol !!' (promotional tie in with Best of the Kaiser Chiefs)
The Star: 'BRITAIN GOES TITS UP !!! + Picture of topless girl posing with a molotov cocktail.
-
The Guardian were live blogging tonight, this content has now disappeared. I wonder why.
The content hasn't disappeared, it has been moved to here and can be accessed from the front page.
-
*Police are tonight responding to copycat criminal activity across London and are deploying officers to tackle it.
There has been looting in a number of boroughs in north, east and south London by small and mobile groups. Groups of youths continue to attack police officers and a number of police vehicles have been damaged.
Three officers have been taken to hospital after being hit by a fast moving vehicle at approx 00:45hrs. The officers were in the process of making arrests in Chingford Mount, Waltham Forest, in connection with youths looting a shop. Two officers are believed to have superficial injuries and the other has an injury to his knee.
Earlier tonight in Walthamstow Central more than 30 youths, many in masks, vandalised and looted a number shops including BHS. Officers attended the area and the situation is currently under control. Groups of youths are continuing to target shops in Waltham Forest and officers are on scene.
In Brixton there has been disorder and looting. LFB are dealing with a fire at Footlocker on Brixton High Road.
Rival gangs attended Kings College Hospital after two victims of minor stabbings were admitted resulting in a fight. The hospital has brought in additional security for the remainder of the night and officers remain on scene dealing with the initial stabbings.
In Enfield Town Centre and surrounding areas the disorder has been contained. Resources are in the area and the High Street remains cordoned off to contain the disorder.
Approximately 50 youths congregated in Oxford Circus and caused some damage to property. Officers attended the area and the situation is currently under control.
In Islington there were reports of a group causing a disturbance and a police vehicle windscreen was smashed.
A Tesco store in Ponders End was vandalised and items were stolen.
As a result of quick and decisive action by police numerous arrests have been made at various locations. We await further details.
Commander Christine Jones, said: "This is a challenging situation with small pockets of violence, looting and disorder breaking out on a number of boroughs.
"We have deployed units across London and continue to move quickly to deal with any reports of criminality as soon as possible.
"Officers are once again putting themselves in harm's way to arrest those responsible and prevent further crimes. I am proud of their dedication and bravery.
"I, along with the vast majority of Londoners, condemn this mindless criminality. It serves no purpose and only results in the destruction people's livelihoods and communities." *
-
Lots of tweeters reposting unfounded statement that there has been a media blackout on the riots / looting:
*
There is an UNOFFICIAL MEDIA BLACKOUT on London riots. #brixton #enfield #edmonton #hackney #tottenham #mediablackout*The Guardian had at least 2 journalists on the ground in Edmonton & Brixton, the Telegraph had at least one journalist in Brixton, Sky News has been reporting stuff also, and I just heard a short item on the World Service, so this statement is complete nonsense, un bobard, as the French would say.
-
^^ That's the same Police statement I linked to an hour ago ;)
You're quite right on the Guardian content, apologies. Moving the chronological order to latest right at the bottom of the page is rather odd though, and the opposite of the usual Guardian format.
No, it's what they always do with live blogs on the day after, as it not now a 'live' blog, it's an "as it happened" item.
-
Then I stand corrected. I stand by my belief that some of their content was shit stirring though. There are also real questions about how sensible it is to live blog an evening of copycat 'looting' (aka breaking and entering), especially when a number of people saw the youths in question consulting their phones before deciding to move on to other areas.
[/I]The Guardian had at least 2 journalists on the ground in Edmonton & Brixton, the Telegraph had at least one journalist in Brixton, Sky News has been reporting stuff also, and I just heard a short item on the World Service, so this statement is complete nonsense, un bobard, as the French would say.
It's also on the BBC website now.
Sky have footage of the looting in Brixton, if it's not rolling now it will be shortly.
EEI
Fox
tynan
Buffalo_Bill-
Post a reply
About
In the news
Posted by
@Platini
Just read that post and I swear the awful pun was completely unintentional. Bedtime.