British riots update

This 9 September 2011 video from England is called Mark Duggan’s funeral – (ITV1 London Coverage).

Youth activists put the blame for riots and social unrest sweeping Britain firmly at the feet of capitalism and war today.

Lifeline services which young people need and help to create have been wilfully and deliberately cut back.

Anti-fascist campaign group Hope Not Hate issued a clarion call today to communities and the labour movement to act to stop racist groups from exploiting the ongoing riots: here.

Prime Minister David Cameron announced today that water cannon and baton rounds were available for use by police to tackle the ongoing riots around the country: here.

Water cannons are “useless”, require specialised training and we only have six: here.

Scottish and Welsh police forces have sent riot-trained officers to London and elsewhere to help tackle unrest on the streets of England: here.

A Tottenham man shot dead by police last week did not fire at officers before he was killed, ballistic tests suggested today: here.

Courtroom chaos in the wake of nationwide riots is prompting “serious questions” about the Con-Dems’ budget cuts, the country’s court staff association warned today.

By Tariq Ali on the LRB blog in Britain:

Why is it that the same areas always erupt first, whatever the cause? Pure accident? Might it have something to do with race and class and institutionalised poverty and the sheer grimness of everyday life? The coalition politicians (including new New Labour, who might well sign up to a national government if the recession continues apace) with their petrified ideologies can’t say that because all three parties are equally responsible for the crisis. They made the mess.

They privilege the wealthy.

Nina Power: There is a context to London’s riots that can’t be ignored: here.

A gendered reading of the UK riots: here.

USA: Jordan Flaherty on police killings of ‘looters’ in the wake of Hurricane Katrina: here.