Politics aside, it’s shocking what’s happening in London right now. I have a number of very good friends there, and hope that all of them are safe. 
The loss of property in the fires in London is going to be enormous, both in terms of what people are losing, and in historic buildings that are now lost. 
I was in Paris during the riots a few years ago, and the scariest thing is the complete randomness of the violence. And now, areas of London which I know well – Notting Hill, Kilburn, Portobello Road, Bethnal Green – are all reporting fires, riots and looting. 
This is breaking my heart.
London's burning, London's burning.
ReplyDeleteFetch the engines, fetch the engines.
Fire fire, Fire Fire!
Pour on water, pour on water.
London's burning, London's burning.
as in the nursery rhyme. What a very strange time, with no obvious reason why this widespread violence is taking place. I had quite recently decided the nearest I was going to get to it was Heathrow, and I'm glad I did.
Okay,we're not getting anywhere near the idea of the scope of this story in the US. The media is just rerunning the video of the first pic in this post and saying a "couple" other areas have fires as well.
ReplyDeleteThese fires (and lack of media coverage) are horrendous.
Oh Meg it breaks my heart as well. I love London! Hope it all comes to an end soon, madness!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
I am also one of those Americans who have just today heard about this, and had no idea that it was happening.
ReplyDeleteOne article I read said that it all started because the cops killed some guy they were arresting. But I can't imagine that the fires on that map you showed are ALL because of this -???
Confused, and saddened, by all this.
Marcheline... the first riot on Friday/Saturday was because of that, and then it just spread. It's general unrest due to economics, no jobs, etc. Shocking.
ReplyDeleteIt really is wild... darling daughter #1 lives in Kensington thought it would be safe NOT...Harvey Nicks windows smashed! Apparently started in broad daylight yesterday afternoon...beyond incredible....so very sad.
ReplyDeleteHi Meg, This tragic. It is also tragic when a people feels that the only recourse available is violence. As citizens, we all need to feel that our voices are heard and that they are important. God is in the midst of all; some times it is hard to see Him. Mary
ReplyDeleteWild story here about someone who was dining at a restaurant in Notting Hill that was invaded by rioters who began robbing patrons and were then repelled by kitchen staff wielding rolling pins and fry baskets. It sounds like a scene from a movie.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.runawaysquirrels.com/2011/08/london-riots-comes-to-the-ledbury/
do you think they are upset about Amy?
ReplyDeleteI too am heartbroken. Facebook friends alerted me. BBC coverage as well. So sad!
ReplyDeleteIt's very sad and spreading throughout the UK, now Manchester and Birmingham. The guy the police shot last week was carrying a gun, it was their only recourse and a rare occurance here. This resulting rioting is the action of some street yobs who want something for nothing. Any excuse to loot shops and blame the government and it's policies for everything. In prespective, it's nowhere near as bad as any day in the USA. How many gun shot victims are admitted to USA hospitals on a daily basis, shocking numbers. Once again, the media over eggs everything! The police will regain control in the good old British way, with very little loss of life.
ReplyDeletenevertheless, this is sad to watch anywhere in the f&$@*d up world we live in.
Di
X
We had a similar situation here in Vancouver, Canada, in the middle of June. During the Stanley Cup (hockey) playoffs, the City of Vancouver had closed several streets to traffic and set up viewing areas with enormous TV screens (and porta-potties) so peaople who couldn't afford tickets to the game could still watch it in a "party atmosphere". When the final game ended, the city erupted in a riot, ostensibly because the Vancouver team didn't win.
ReplyDelete99% of the rioters were teenage and 20-something boys, perhaps the most spoiled and coddled group of people in the history of Canada. They pelted the giant TV screens with beer bottles and rocks, upended mailboxes and porta-potties, set civilian and police cars on fire, smashed store and business windows, broke into locked business and stole or destroyed merchandise.
Caught on camera by a local TV station, one kid was asked why he was doing this. His answer? "Because it's fun."
It is sad, but there have been little whispers of this for a while; friends whose homes are invaded and nothing taken but they are beaten; football riots... I keep thinking that the idea of London continues to renew itself and the fires are a repetition of history that have happened so many times. However you remind me how terrifying it must be to live through this.
ReplyDeleteThere is a good side coming out in this horror. I'm glad to see people taking action.
ReplyDeleteBroom Army