It’s hard to believe that a peaceful march in a London neighbourhood, protesting the death of one man, turned into the most violent riots England has seen in decades. But, fuelled by unemployment, youngsters across the country went on a rampage of violence and plunder over the next week.
This August was a nightmare for families and business owners in England, as rioters looted shops, burnt homes, and attacked people. Heritage buildings were set on fire, and people wounded and murdered.
After a stringent police crackdown, more than 3,000 people have been arrested, and trials are on. Most of the rioters are in their teens and 20s. British Prime Minister David Cameron made it clear that young rioters wouldn’t be let off easily, saying, “If you are old enough to commit these crimes, you are old enough to face the punishment.” He also said families must share the blame for their upbringing, and could be thrown out of their government-owned homes if members of the household were found to have participated in the riots.
How Did the Riots Begin?
On August 4, 2011, Mark Duggan was shot dead in Tottenham by police. The 29-year-old is thought to have been a gangster. He was wanted as part of Operation Trident, launched to investigate gun crime among Afro-Caribbeans. There were differing reports on what actually happened. Some said Duggan had fired at police, as a bullet was found stuck in a police radio. But then, reports came out saying initial tests showed that all the bullets found at the scene belonged to the police. Though an illegal weapon was recovered from Duggan, it may not have been used.
Friends and relatives of Duggan said he was unarmed, and on August 6, conducted a march to Tottenham police station, demanding justice. More than 100 people participated in the protest, and waited outside the station, asking to speak to a senior officer. Later in the evening, more people joined in, apparently with weapons. Soon after, rioting broke out in Tottenham.
The Copycat Riots
However, Duggan’s death could hardly be the cause for riots spreading across London within hours, and to other parts of England, including Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leicester and Liverpool. Hundreds of youth took to the streets, ransacking shops for goods. Most stores stayed closed for days.
As it became clear that the situation was out of control, Cameron cut short his holiday in Italy. Mayor of London Boris Johnson, and several ministers and MPs, followed suit and an emergency session of Parliament was called on August 11. Police leave was cancelled, backup was rushed to troubled areas, and a crackdown on rioters began. However, five people died and tens were wounded in the violence. Property damage is estimated at more than £200 million. While London quietened down in a few days, police had trouble containing the riots in other cities.
The Riot Deaths
On August 8, a 26-year-old man identified as Trevor Ellis from Brixton Hill died in Croydon. Some reports said he had taken part in the looting, but his family denied it.
On the same day, 68-year-old Richard Mannington Bowes was attacked while trying to put out a fire in Ealing. He sustained a head injury. The assault was caught on CCTV, and also witnessed by police officers. But a mob prevented officers from reaching him till it was too late. He slipped into a coma and passed away in hospital three days later. Three people – including the mother of one of the mobsters – were charged in connection with Bowes’ murder.
On August 10, three young men – Haroon Jahan (21) and brothers Shahzad Ali (30) and Abdul Musavir (31) were mowed down by a car in Birmingham, reportedly while trying to protect their neighbourhood from the vandals. Three people were later charged with murder.
What’s Happening Now?
Cameron promised a clampdown on the rioters, and an “all out war on gangs and gang culture.” A police investigation into the riots, named Operation Withern, was launched. A gang task force has also been put in place. The Ministry of Justice says over half of the 3,000 people arrested have already appeared in courts, which have been working overtime to deal with the cases. At least 300 juvenile offenders have been produced in court.
The police have put up pictures of offenders online, with details of their crimes and sentences, “to send a clear message to those involved that you will not get away with it.”
The Anti-Social Network
Several reports said riots had been coordinated by gangs, using social networking sites and BlackBerry Messenger. Police even considered shutting down the BlackBerry service to hamper the violence. But Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of the BlackBerry, said it would cooperate with the police and help track down offenders. People have also been charged with inciting violence using Twitter and Facebook.
Technology has also helped police. CCTV images of rioters wanted in connection with robbery, as well as people whom police would like to question, have been released since August 10.
On August 8, a video of a Malaysian student, Asyraf Haziq, being robbed after he was helped to his feet by a gang, became a rage on YouTube. Soon after, a man was arrested.
And Then There Were Some
Amid the chaos were instances of bravery, honesty, and wry humour.
The bookstore Waterstones brought smiles to Londoners with this notice on August 10: “We are staying open, and if they steal our books, they might learn something.”
As gangs invaded Southall, hundreds of Sikhs and other people of Indian origin gathered outside the oldest and largest gurdwara in the country, Guru Singh Sabha, protecting it from mobs for more than two days. The group, which numbered over 700, arrived holding swords, kirpans and hockey sticks, chanting ‘Jo bole so nihal, sat sri akal’. Hooded youngsters were seen in the neighbourhood, but did not approach the temple.
In Manchester, a couple turned in their 14-year-old son to the police after recognising him in a picture of a supermarket being looted. He had stolen a £1 packet of chewing gum, and was let off after a stern warning.
In Birmingham, the families of the three riot victims told presspersons an international football game between India and Pakistan would be held on September 3 in their memory, with proceeds going to a foundation set up in their names.
From Manchester to London, ‘peace walls’ have cropped up, with residents sticking coloured Post-it notes on the walls of vandalised stores, carrying messages of love and peace.