Riots in England (3)

People hold different opinions on various things, just as whether or not using water cannons, rubber bullets on rioters in England is a good idea. These measures are considered controversial because they were used in Northern Ireland before against the IRA. I am for using these measures as last resorts. And here is why:

These rioters burned down people's houses, mugged passers-by in broad daylight, looted chain stores and loads of off-license shops and so on so forth. Some even claimed that they were taking their taxes back. What about other people's taxes? I had worked hard in London for two years and I paid my taxes but I didn't go loot JD Sports for trainers or Curry Digital to get 42 inch plasma tv just to "get my taxes back."

Put aside socio-economic problems or racial issues for now,this is a moral issue. They showed disrespect to their own country and caused fear on the streets. They even provoked the police probably because they thought they were useless, which is partly true because the police couldn't do anything except for "peacekeeping."

Most importantly, they didn't do this because they wanted people to hear their political causes. Riots spread so quickly in London and England because no one stopped them in the first place and the idea of being able to get away with it suddenly popped in these people's mind. "Yeah! Everyone else is doing it, so can I. Nothing happened anyway." This is just like Rodney King in LA back in the 90's again.

The government has to take a harder line upon this issue. Human rights are the last two words I want to hear from them. Spare the rod, spoil the child. Water cannons, rubber bullets or tear gas should be considered as last resorts. They have to learn that these acts come with consequences. They have to learn this lesson sooner or later. Why not start now?

Riots in England (2)

David Cameron's statement is followed by a high-quality debates in regards to riots in England. Am impressed by Cameron, to be honest, for he stood over three hours accepting all kinds of enquiries upon riots-related enquiries and most importantly, he gave great responses, too. Just like Piers Morgan said, now all David Cameron needs to do is put his words into ACTION.

Riots in England

原本只是群眾在London東北三區Tottenham Hale抗議警察擊斃一位29歲黑人男子Mark Duggan，突然間演變成這樣大規模暴動事件，一般人眼中繁華的London部分區域變成人間煉獄，火燒車與火燒建築物的事件頻繁；Sony在Enfield的倉庫被燒毀；在Croydon，有個家傳五代的店面就這樣被大火吞噬；光天化日之下搶劫民眾的事情頻傳。我想不管是短暫造訪過London的人，曾經住一段時間過的人或是長久的居民都好，或許都有感到心痛吧，突然間所有的問題都藉此導火線爆發出來。

實情我並不太清楚，現在也似乎沒有人想先去搞懂，大家只能先使用社群網路告訴自己的家人朋友注意小心安危。一開始是在Tottenham Hale發生的警察射殺民眾事件，據說是警察獲報攔截下一輛minicab，然後根據警方的說法是29歲的Mark Duggan先對他們開槍，警察才將他擊斃。不過初步調查發現：Mark Duggan可能沒有先開槍，後續還要等待更詳細的調查才會知道。

這不就像90年代發生在Los Angeles的Rodney King事件嗎？！剛開始是種族議題引起的抗議，接下來就是類似的大規模暴動了，許多人逮到機會趁火打劫，後續的暴動事件與原來的抗議議題根本無關，甚至越演越烈。這次從London東北方的Tottenham Hale開始，延伸到Enfield。記得剛開始我看報導的時候，暴動地點根本是沿著地鐵Victoria Line的據點在發生，然後擴散到東西南北，現在連我以前工作的Sloane Square都有商店被砸。目前各大報都有登出暴動地點，演變到今天，全England有發生copycat attacks的城市地圖請點我。

政府已經加派16000名警力在各地，London昨天也有許多區域的商家都被迫直接停止營業，要民眾待在家裡不要出來。目前被鎖定搶劫的商店包括：Curry Digital這種電器連鎖商店，off-license便利商店等等；在Wood Green，Enfield與Lakeside的hmv也成為搶劫對象。大家不但直接把商店鐵門撬開，也破壞路邊的ATM直接拿錢。網路上還流傳一個短片：成群看似要幫助受傷流血坐在路邊的男孩的民眾，其實是想順便搶劫，目前該男孩的身分已被確認，人已在醫院受治療。

也許沒有人會想到事情會在一夜之間突然變成這樣大規模的暴動吧，特別是政府。David Cameron週一從Italy飛回來，Home Secretary Theresa May比首相更提前回到工作岡位上準備應付這次動亂。她提議使用water cannons，rubber bullets與tear gas來驅趕暴民卻遲遲未能通過，主要是因為rubber bullets這類的東西曾在Northern Ireland發生過嚴重爭議。可是這些人現在根本不怕鎮暴警察，而且還公然挑釁，鎮暴警察也好像UN Peacekeeping troopers一樣，不會主動壓制暴民。在這種情形下，不使用更強制的手段對付，試問是要如何解決？現在連宵禁的影子都沒有，David Cameron也只是對民眾說不用擔心，被抓到的暴動民眾最重將會被判十年期刑。不過目前並沒有看到更進一步有效的行動，倒是Piers Morgan在Twitter不斷地提出應該使用的方式來平息這場誇張的暴動。當局是不是該考慮換人坐鎮一下比較好？！這個時候，Boris Johnson什麼事也沒做，只是在週一與Nick Clegg視察Tottenham Hale區域這樣而已，當然被人嘲笑譏諷。現在是不是該考慮把軍隊叫進來管制比較好？

不過一切也不是如此地灰暗，昨天不斷地在Twitter流傳的照片是民眾主動發起clean-up運動，從Clapham Junction開始，然後現在各城市也一起跟進這個運動。畢竟是自己的社區或是自己的家園，不過就是因為是自己的家園，為什麼還有那麼多人要如此摧毀她？！

這次London動亂區域多半是一直以來組成份子較複雜的地方，或許不免地這類動亂會與種族問題劃上等號，可是追根究底不就是經濟問題？！London不但族群複雜，英國本身的社會福利制度本身就有問題，David Cameron上任以來致力於把這些所謂的benefits砍掉，為的是不讓英國的稅收落到不積極找工作不做事卻也能有不少allowance領取的人的手中。不過這種benefits制度從前首相Thatcher就開始實施的政策，已經幾乎進入一個惡性循環的狀態，短期要改善已經是很不容易的事情了。再加上，原本階級差異大，教育也是個問題，英國早婚生子率在全歐洲是最高的國家，各個環節的問題加總起來，想要在短時間消除也根本是比登天還難。

在英國最常聽到的argument是：外籍，不論是歐盟他國或是歐盟以外國家的人民搶走他們的工作，使他們找不到工作機會。確實東歐所謂的亷價勞工大量進入英國，進入低階的勞力工作是個問題，不過許多英國人自己也根本沒有什麼工作態度可言，動不動就不上班，生病，各種藉口都有，然後還要怪外籍人士搶走工作機會。這種論點似乎挺不陌生的，因為每個國家都有它自己的外籍勞工問題。

講了那麼多，我好像在寫一篇很爛的報導，其實我想表達的只是：人類真的可以道德淪喪到誰都無法想像的地步。我同時也真的希望所有在London的同事朋友們都能相安無事。