Day 221: Let's Build A Helipad

Feeling a little vulnerable at Shabby Road tonight. I was trying to record the vocals for the 'proper' demo of Let's Build An Airport while somewhat ironically a police helicopter kept watch overhead. As the evening wore on there was a constant stream of traffic down the sleepy street where the studio is situated, a sure sign that the nearby main road was closed and traffic was being diverted. When I got in I found that the Police station at the top of the road had been firebombed.

While it's good news for glaziers and the Kaiser Chiefs the civil unrest has been bad news for anyone who doesn't want a cheap pair of trainers or a new phone. I know I have a good percentage of readers from overseas so if you want to know what is happening, here's my view.

A few days ago the police in London shot dead a suspect. He appears to have been armed, but appears not to have fired upon police, the bullet found lodged in a police radio appears to have been from a police weapon.

Local people included the man's family took a peaceful protest to the local police station where the police appear to have handled badly and a riot kicked off.

The police appear to have handled the riot badly and appeared to give the impression that looting would go unchallenged.

Mass looting occurred.

So while the initial event in Tottenham was a PROTEST which ignited into a RIOT, everything since that point in London and beyond is merely opportunistic LOOTING and an outbreak of LAWLESSNESS. Don't dignify it with the term 'riot' because it is not a protest about anything.

In hindsight the Police should have dealt with the initial protest more strongly. The reason they didn't is that they are scared of the understandable public backlash after they shot an innocent man on the London underground on suspicion of being a terrorist and caused the death of an innocent bystander in London who was suspected of being a violent protester. Amongst others. They also failed to have quick and transparent inquiries and punish wrongdoers in the Police force. This fear of public ill will seems to have caused a paralysis when we needed the strong arm of the law.

With respect to my American friends the 'arm everyone' philosophy is attractive at a time like this but our reluctance to go down that route means thankfully at the moment our streets are full of broken glass not dead bodies.

Nottinghamshire Police did a great job last night and seemed to have the upper hand.


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