i'm dissmayed at certain sentiments put forward through out this thread. Especially those with distinct racist under-tones, which may have escaped some peoples 'radar'.
All of a sudden certian individuals have become 'english' instead of 'british' in an attempt to distance themselves from whom they believe to be the culprits out there of a certain ethinic minority(s) looting and rioting. It's this way of thinking that creates this type of tension on the streets in certain areas in the first place. Forgetting that it was their ancestors who rape and pillaged around the world and decimated land, religion and culture. And while im not saying this whole thing is racial, (which i believe it not to be for the most part) there is a part in this whole thing for it.
It is no secret that the police racially profile certain ethnic minorites and tag them to crimes, and subliminally we do it too without thinking. However to think that certain ethnic minorities caused all this is ludicrous. Some people need to check the demographics of england, then watch the news carefully and see it is a wide mix of people, straight up opportunists of ALL races jumping on the back of a bandwagon to pursue their own selfish needs.
The Rumor has it that the police in an attempt to keep the 9,000 jobs that were to be cut, fanned the flames and kept this going, as to put a point they were/are needed.
The other rumour was that this was again done so that the government can rush through some laws in parliment in time for the olympics, or to further their own ends of a police state.
Me personally, as a resident of Handsworth i was there when they put the police station on fire (no i wasnt rioting) and speaking of Birmingham and Birmingham only, it has largely been over exaggerated on the news and media that there is masses on the streets which there isnt. Infact alot of these business on soho road werent even hit, the owners took their stock and made it look so. I have even been told this that it was an opportunity to make insurance scams, now i know this isnt the case every where, but people need to look at the wider picture and not just be brain washed by the media.
I'm just putting forward my own thoughts from my own perspective and i dont expect everyone to agree with it, but i thought it was worth a try.