Why do protesters loot and burn

[Bigworldoutthere]

Disclaimer: not a comment on the awful event leading up to it but on rots/ protest in general. Watching the situation in Minneapolis it struck me that in almost all protest situations there are people —young men— who burn things that are useful to them and there community, loot shops that are useful for them and their community and damage/smash the same. I can understand anger s as d shouting but why actually damage the area you live in?

Protests attract the sort of people who are itching for an excuse to loot. It's not necessarily protesters turning to looters, but the other way round.

There will always be some people who use protest as a cover to set fires and damage property, but there also others who do so out of frustration. Worth reading up on the Suffragettes who broke windows, sometimes in organised campaigns: 'Deeds not Words’.

Because if they are not being listened too they are going to make themselves a nuisance until they are listened too

I understand that frustration and anger can lead to violence but why against their own things? Wouldn’t it make sense to damage the things of the perceived oppressor/instigator? Why don’t riots attack central government rather than their home shops?

I think these events often start as a peaceful protest that gets out of hand. Once law and order break down shops then get damaged and looted just because people can. I don’t think the people looting Target are the same people as those protesting.

Think about the riots here a few years ago. It started about a man having been shot but I doubt the people rioting in other cities even knew his name. Some people need very little excuse to smash shit up.

To make a big as impact as they can. A silent protest is not going to achieve much in a country that has a huge racism and historic police brutality issue is it? As that to a hell of a lot of anger and disgust, you are going to rash an emotive response. A case of do whatever is necessary to be heard. They also probably feel that in a country where you can murder someone on film in broad daylight, rules and laws aren't taken seriously byway

Because people who aren’t white have so little value in society peaceful action means absolutely nothing.

I remember the 2011 riots in the UK. People were just grabbing stuff, it was a chance to profit. We used to joke about how no one was smashing up Waterstones. It was TVs and sports gear they wanted.

I always wonder this
It must be the adrenaline and rage

I just can't understand why people want to cause so much destruction
It one hundred percent detracts from the problem at hand which in this case is a global acceptance or tolerance of racism

And I fucking hate it

I just can't understand why people want to cause so much destruction
It one hundred percent detracts from the problem at hand

The problem at hand? Which is black people being slaughtered at the hands of the police?
Innocent black people being killed is the real destruction.
Why does shops being looted annoy you more than murder?

I think such people arent there to protest, they are using the protest to loot and destroy.

The worst part of this is that now the focus will be on the looters and not on the protest.

Media focus that should read

Why do police officers keep killing unarmed black men? Answer that question first, and then we can deal with the looting.

One is a deliberate action, the other is a reaction.

But you know this.

I do find it interesting that people are more willing to speak about the 'looting' and express upset/ anger about that, then black men being murdered by the police.

Why is that?

And, actually, most people were there to protest. Of course, there will be assholes there who are there to cause trouble...

That should not detract away from the fact that ANOTHER unarmed Black man died at the hands of the police...but, of course, it will detract away from the fact...

Possibly because the only difference peaceful protests, like athletes kneeling for the national anthem, make is for those protesting are vilified and lose their jobs.

I think such people arent there to protest, they are using the protest to loot and destroy.

These people want to be heard. They want violence against black bodies to stop. Peaceful protests do fuck all. Standing round holding placards and giving speeches does fuck all.
They are attracting attention to their cause. It’s making people sit up pay attention.

Property can be repaired. Dead people can’t.

RubieRose, it baffles me, too.

They got nowhere with peaceful protest (footballer who 'took a knee' during anthem). They've tried 'peaceful' and got nowhere. Over 50 years post-MLK and it's still happening. It's not surprising that frustration spills over. Whether or not it is 'useful' to the cause is for history to decide. It's a natural response.

@RubieRose

I do find it interesting that people are more willing to speak about the 'looting' and express upset/ anger about that, then black men being murdered by the police.

Why is that?

Because we have less value than tat you can buy in a shop.

This thread is very middle class white mumsnetty isn’t it? A previous poster said it perfectly...why are you questioning the looting rather than the fact a white police officer slowly murdered another unarmed black man?
Enough is enough.

Because it puts black people back in the 'bad' box.
It gives the media, the police, the system, the perfect chance to say look, look what they're doing, they're lawless, aggressive, this is why we use force...
And so many people just lap that up! They don't look at the real issue, they buy into the bollocks.

When you are dealing with a dangerous, racist system that wants to keep things exactly as they are, they will use anything against you that they can. And video of smashed shop windows and people running off with massive TVs is a gift from heaven.

Tbh, and I know I'll be called all sorts, if it was discovered there were people sent in to start the looting I wouldn't be surprised.

I wanted to ask the same but was concerned I would have been moaned at.

I think everytime something happens of that nature in the US, there is sympathy, there are questions on why this happens constantly.
But then, as usual, looting, rioting and mass violence erupts and all that does is give the type of White American who excuse extreme violence against African Americans further excuses for why the police are heavy handed.

I think even the comedian Chris Rock has voiced the same previously.

And any section of society who use the execution in the street of a male as an excuse for violence and to steal a new TV are scum. They're not protesting, they're adding fuel to racism.

Isn’t the more pertinent question ‘why did a white police officer kneel on an unarmed black man’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds?’

It just makes me sad. "Look at all those angry black men out looting and burning things, aren't they awful".

And just ignoring the cause of it completely.