KIcking off in Lewisham

[la_verita]

Does anyone know of any trouble in Forest Hill??

Sending out lots of positive vibes and energy to all my lovely Sydenham\Forest Hill neighbours.

There are social issues that are surfacing here, but we just want to get on with our peaceful lives, don't we? This is a really sad state of affairs...

Most shops seem to be closed now in Forest Hill with rumours of trouble at shops along the Dartmouth Road, but they are just rumours as far as I can tell.

[Maria]

You are all inspiring me.... I am now determined to go to the Tratoria for a gorgeous italian meal with my kids this evening; oh well, we'll just have to run home if need be...

Just arrived from work and did what most of you were doing-went into any shop open and chatted, browsed, bought bits and pieces... there really is a great feeling of community in Sydenham - fabulous place to live!

Having said that, it really really felt quite frightning when at 1 am this morning we looked through the window and saw riot police all over our streets; and then there was a car on fire on an alleyway behind our house... One of my kids live in Brixton.... goodness: and why can't I get rid of a feeling that things are only going to get worse as time goes by?

I hope you are all happy and safe tonight and over the next few days - Maria

[Ronski]

some light relief on all of it
http://photoshoplooter.tumblr.com/

[Maria]

Oh god, I know it shouldn't be funny but the truth is that... it's hilarious Ronski!

[Postman]

Made me chuckle! lol

[la_verita]

Community spirit on display in Clapham earlier today: http://yfrog.com/kj5oewj

[sfhyouthforum]

http://46.183.9.169/Riot_Clean_Up.html

[Savvy]

Right, well.... I did leave work at four. I walked to the high st, turned right, the sun was shining, the traffic was busy, there were women and children and shopkeepers - tatooed face man and his mate were asleep. I smiled at people, they smiled back I walked down to the co-op and then back and home to Westwood Hill. I don't know what this great sense of forboding is. There were shops closed and shops with shutters half down but still open. Shopkeepers sitting outside - It was very busy. I don't know what might happen later but get out there, its fine!

[sydeman]

Just come back from a walk around. All shops are shut, people walking around, but no problems what so ever. It feels like a Sunday in the 1970s. I was sent home as work locally at lunchtime, although you can never be too careful, it does feel like a waste of time, and a feeling that something has gone wrong with the world, if yob rules like it has done. Open the shops and businesses, and show that yob rule does not work.

[Shenlong]

As people can see, nice and quiet, no rioting, no gangs of feral youths running rampage, etc.

[The Clown]

Curiosity got the better of me too, so I have come home. Just walked past Kente and there is a guitarist and a flautist jamming away while people sip their tea and coffee. Good on them.

[scooby]

ment to be working in bell gn sainsburys tonight anyone know if any gangs gathering.

[poulet]

I'll add to the recent restrained tone of posts - I left work in Bromley just before 5 and travelled home via Penge East to Sydenham with no sign of any trouble. Majority of shops are shut, but a number of sole traders (e.g. Grocers and Billings were open). The denizens of the Two Halfs were enjoying a drink in the sun and everyone on the High Street seemed calm and relaxed.

Debate on the role of social media in the 'organisation' of these riots will run and run but one thing is for sure - sites such as Twitter have played a role in causing unnecessary concern and even panic. People can tweet anything and it quickly moves down the rumour mill to become fact or news - if I were to believe everything I have heard today, an invading army has pillaged most of South East London!

[hazy]

ment to be working in bell gn sainsburys tonight anyone know if any gangs gathering.

scooby it's closed - unscheduled night off!

[leenewham]

Just got back from East Dulwich vis Forest Hill. No trouble, no youths, some shops boarded up in Lordship Lane (some probably as a precaution) and probably half the shops shut there. But lots of people out and the pubs were full. Lots of police were there.

Forest Hill is quiet, many shops shut including Sainsbury's but no trouble including Dartmouth Road. Saw a few police on the street talking to the community.

Kirkdale was quiet, one window of the bookmakers was boarded up.

Sydenham looked odd as so many businesses were closed and boarded up. Billings was open, Kente was full to the brim with the flute guy in the window. Quite a few people around. The Cooperative was shut.

Sainsbury's in Bell Green was shut, some of the doors were smashed from last night and the garage was boarded up.

Overall it feels odd out, but not oppressive and I saw no groups of kids.

[NorthernIrelandSydenham]

Two things.

The PSNI Water Cannon trucks were at Belfast docks this morning heading for the mainland. So watch out for them, big white lorrys...



Two:

They're currently robbing the business centre in Kirkdale (above the LA Fitness)

[sydenhamparent]

Blair's babies still want their bling without the kerching. [/b]
How can we re-teach a generation who have had everthing handed to them on a (plastic) plate, including paying them to stay at school? The only people really benefitting from EMA money is McDonalds and the mobile phone companies, who get regular payments from every teenager in town. The EMA was used to cajole children into staying on, in order to keep the unemployment figures lower for longer. Giving everyone the right to university education was simply another method of lining the governments' pockets by ensuring that every graduate is in debt to them until they're at least 30. It all seemed like a good idea, helping the poor into education, but it was all really just about bribing them not to look for work and smoothing out statistics.

Xbox has replaced exercise, Capital(ist) radio tells them repeatedly that they can be 'Billionaires', video games desinsitise their ability to tell reality from virtual reality, rich rappers are role models, celebrity magazines show a lifestyle they could never aspire to.

Its not even about colour - poverty sees no colour, and nor do children until we make them aware of it with our own ideological negativity. Teachers are so busy ticking boxes and checking attainment charts that they don't even look at the children. We can't blame the young, they're the product of greedy politicians who are not even qualified to run their own departments. Does the Home Secretary have a degree in criminology? They're just not experts in anything.
Instead of hugging hoodies we gave them the remote, left them to fend for themselves and paid them to sit in front of a computer at school all day. No interraction there then. This was not a good philosphy. As in Lord of the Flies - we've left the 'yoof' culture to teach itself - with help from the BBC of course -(Tracey Beaker has a lot to answer for in the 'its ok to be rude to all adults' category). We've left Pandora's box wide open - and can't expect to close it again, not even to give it that all important tick which governments cannot function without.

[RedRevolver]

x

I know people who were almost in tears prior to going on Christmas holiday last year, because our college hadn't successfully paid some students their EMA, and for some (eh, not all, by no means) meant they'd practically starve for two weeks and be kicked out of their homes.

[la_verita]

Have just got back in having been down Sydenham high street. It was very quiet, a few people walking about but not many at all. Nearly ran over two youths cycling who jumped the lights as I was turning but that's the norm unfortunately. Was a police van going up towards Cobbs Corner, didn't have its sirens on though so not sure if the report of looting above LA Fitness is true. As already pointed out, all the sole traders were open, not sure if it's defiance or just the fact they can't afford not to trade.

[la_verita]

x

I know people who were almost in tears prior to going on Christmas holiday last year, because our college hadn't successfully paid some students their EMA, and for some (eh, not all, by no means) meant they'd practically starve for two weeks and be kicked out of their homes.

So stealing a pair of trainers and a new TV improves the situation?

There's videos on YouTube of the looting in Clapham last night. There's one showing a group of kids who don't look older than 15 discussing whether they should go loot some watches or not. If they're claiming this is all a strike against the disaffected youth who have no prospects what will a new watch do? They don't need to know the time if they've got nowhere to go. There's videos of kids stealing TVs from Currys and walking away. WALKING.