Forumengers actually affected by the riots (London and elsewhere)

That said, when your flat is surrounded by 30 criminals all laughing and comparing spoils, with fires burning in the street, and no emergency services are visible or contactable for 2 hours, and people are looking up at you on the phone, you do start wondering how you would best defend the building...

When I rode back from the Burger King (end of Bellenden Rd Peckham) I was shocked to discover groups of youths on my street and surrounding where the riot police had pushed them back they'd sort of dispersed and settled in small groups. Sounds dodgy but I threw my window open (first floor) and sat in the window just keeping an eye out with the news on in the background. Also had my air rifle in my lap (out of sight) just in case any of the little feckers started trying to set fire to cars outside my flat. I didn't know what else to do to be honest.