To think that the situation in London could end up with riots?

[Twoonatandem]

The social situation in London following this week's terrible fire is deteriorating fast. On top of the recent disastrous general election, a section of the population feel alienated. Am I being unreasonable to think we could end up with riots?

No, it's probably why Hunt has put NHS payrises back on the table

YANBU I have been thinking the same. And I say that as someone who has been living through older and more recent ones.

YANBU. I think this is exactly why the authorities are being so cagey about releasing the number of fatalities.

It will run into the hundreds, and then all hell really will break loose.

We may well do - it would be sad though and wouldnt really do anything apart from costing councils even more money to repair things and the police even more to do when they are stretched enough as it is.
We've seen the good in people this week and the last few months following the terror attacks too - be a shame if it ends up in even more violence. All the good works thats gone on would be overlooked for the sake of what? nothing will change and throwing bricks around wont help matters.

I think it's a possibility. Recent events have exposed the upper echelon on society's contempt disregard for the poor and less fortunate. I wouldn't be surprised.

I just agreed with someone saying the same elsewhere. Now the immediate shock has worn off, there are a lot of very angry people.

Could be. There is mass anger on the streets. Only take something little to set it all off.

YANBU. I'm not a worrier but have a feeling of deja vu here. It's definitely a possibility.

There's a lot of anger here. Justified anger, but upset hurting people don't always channel that into political action, things get a bit more direct. I hope it doesn't come to that but long hot nights and angry, underoccupied and disenfranchised people are a bad combo.

I just read an article about Romania a couple of years ago, a fire broke out resulting in casualties. The public protests actually toppled the government

I'm sure I remember reading that riots are generally more likely when it's warm too

I can see why people would do it, but it would just cause even more unhappiness and theres enough of that around as it is.
I hope that those responsible for the deaths will be punished, but it will all take time to sort out and be looked at properly - the ones that survived this week need real help, not people to start rioting, it really doesnt achieve anything however angry people are. You can never really win against the system.

Yes it well could YADNBU

I've been thinking the same. People are tired, angry and frustrated and things could escalate. An interim report is needed asap as well as top quality community work locally and an effective political response but I'm worried that the attention is elsewhere after the election.

There's a brief overview of the riots/hot weather connection here: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/shortcuts/2016/jul/20/is-there-such-a-thing-as-riot-weather

Basically, it seems that they do happen more in the warm, but not when it's silly baking hot, and it might just be because people are outside together more in warm weather so a sponteneous crowd event is more likely.

The thing is if it does it could escalate quickly. The 2010 riots did

I was asking DH last night if he thought our city would. He thought it might.

Riots come from anger and frustration. There's a lot of that about. And the weather is warm

The fact that the mercury is going to hit 30 degrees in London tomorrow isn't going to help either.

A series of disastrous decisions, in the long, medium, and very short term are coming to boiling point.

This tweet from C4News' Krishnan Guru-Murthy has it right:
twitter.com/krishgm/status/875477460749561857
Look at the #grenfelltower and you will feel a gut-wrenching fury. I suggest everyone go see with your own eyes what we have come to

Seriously folks, look at the hashtag. I can feel the anger radiating out of MN and if MNers feel this way, how much more impassioned must people in the heart of it be feeling?

There is a lot of anger but there also seems to be an overwhelming sense of community. They are all pulling together. Rioting would tear them apart.

I think everyone living in that community will already know how high the number of fatalities will be. They are the ones who know how many of their loved ones are 'missing'

So tragic for all concerned.

Why do some people think rioting is an acceptable a way to respond to a tragedy? I dont get it.

Rioting solves nothing and just makes the funds situation worse. Never understand why people think this is the way to resolve anything.

Actually, I think this is quite the contrary. I am a middle of the road EU immigrant living in a fairly average part of zone 3 London. I voted Labour last week.

Under the media radar, or perhaps not reported, a lot of people I speak with are commenting that almost everyone who had a connection to Grenfell Tower appears to be an immigrant to the U.K. and that this shows how, contrary to what the government and media say, council housing has been colonised by immigrants.

I don't think that people outside of London realise how much resentment there is on the part of those who live in not great areas of London and is paying private sector rents at seeing immigrants be given council flats in one of the nicest parts of London.

I've also had a lot of comments about where is the money going to come from for all of the refurbishment of this block - not from those who were living in it - and about how it's unreasonable for people to immigrant to the U.K. and live on permanent housing subsidies from U.K. taxpayers.

Threads such as this one that suggest riots will happen only remind people of the 2011 riots where certain minority communities were vastly overrepresented among the rioters.

I think it's possible, people are absolutely furious and rightly so

The only response at the moment seems to be ceremonial visits by well spoken politicians in fancy suits, a few of them would do well to turn up at the care centres in their jeans and actually help out whilst the higher ups quickly organise some proper practical support and housing as well as a very thorough investigation.

I agree about the death toll, it's likely to be absolutely enormous but they'll be terrified of releasing the figures because of what might follow

What an absolutely dreadful situation

Yeah 30 degrees tommorow in london so every chance. As said on another thread where is the emergency response from government to ensure things are orderly and housing is sorted?

No volunteer staffing a crisis centre is going to riot.

But there are a lot more angry people in London. The estate may be too traumatised to riot/protest, but the dozens of identical estates and towers and their hundreds of thousands of residents are not.

Where is the calming influence going to come from? Where is the leadership credibly promising change?

What we should hope for is rain for a week, because the political environment is not going to defuse this.