Riots against lockdown in Europe

[Downriver]

The scenes of young people burning down a COVID testing facility in the Netherlands and burning the Danish PM at a stake in protest against lockdown have really shaken me. Would it happen here? Who is organising this? Fascists? Sometimes I read comments against lockdown on here and I think such a mood is being primed.

Why did they burn down a testing centre and attack hospitals? And shops? That's an odd way to demonstrate in support for businesses affected by lockdown.

It's the Covid-is-a-fraud crowd + run of the mill hooligans.

Fascist has just become this catch all racist term to use to label any group of white people who do something you don't agree with politically. It's messed up because real fascism is evil and it dilutes the meaning.

This.

@Downriver

The scenes of young people burning down a COVID testing facility in the Netherlands and burning the Danish PM at a stake in protest against lockdown have really shaken me. Would it happen here? Who is organising this? Fascists? Sometimes I read comments against lockdown on here and I think such a mood is being primed.

Burning a person alive?? Wtf

@ineedaholidaynow

I assume many places have rent a riot type people, who escalate marches etc not caring what the actual protest is about

Yes, this is happening, although some don't believe it

Epidemics have gone hand in hand with civil disorder for millenia.

www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2020/10/16/A-Vicious-Cycle-How-Pandemics-Lead-to-Economic-Despair-and-Social-Unrest-49806

www.newsweek.com/history-epidemics-pandemic-civil-unrest-reasons-1530055

Summary of above link
"According to the study, there is evidence to demonstrate that epidemics can disrupt civil society in three ways.

Firstly, because policies to prevent the spread of disease can conflict with people's interest;

secondly because the epidemic's impact on mortality and economic welfare can worsen inequality;

and finally due to the psychological shock that can lead people to believe irrational narratives regarding the spread of disease, "which may result in social, racial discrimination and even xenophobia.""

@Jsnn

Fascist has just become this catch all racist term to use to label any group of white people who do something you don't agree with politically. It's messed up because real fascism is evil and it dilutes the meaning.

I think people have just had enough as already has been said. Especially young people who are essentially losing a year of their life and risk screwing up their future because the government can't figure out how to shield elderly people from a virus that has an average victim age of 83 years old.

So much this!!!

Maybe all the dementors on here who think the UK is a special case and a laughing stock will shut up now. People are not perfect in other countries.

I do think there is a huge disconnect from those sitting comfortable in their big houses with outdoor space and a stable income or furlough enjoying zoom quizzes and baking and those who are struggling to keep businesses afloat, live in poverty or suffering from mental health issues caused by isolation

Or even small houses with outdoor space and a good job. Yes, this.

Give it six months and a combination of brexit effects (isn't there a six months hiatus re border restrictions at the moment so around july we'll see log jams at ports ?), covid restrictions and better weather will bring people out onto the streets. Unless of course covid figures have dropped due to lockdown and vaccination.

@HmmSureJan

I don't believe it's fascists at all. Far more likely the far left taking advantage of the current dissatisfaction to push their Marxist agenda

Exactly

They appear to be doing the rounds on MN too

@Downriver

UK tends to have riots in the Summer, historically. But it is the fact it is young people that interests me. It is not those under massive stress of wfh and homeschooling etc. I just want to know the demographic, the motives, whether the Q people have got into their heads.

In the UK, 16-24 year olds are the most likely to have lost their job and the most likely to have been furloughed. Minimum wage for under 25s is already lower: for 18-20 year olds it’s £6.45 an hour, and many are now having to live on 80% of that.

I don’t agree with burning down testing centres, but I also don’t think that those who are wfh and homeschooling have any kind of monopoly on stress.

@Downriver

The scenes of young people burning down a COVID testing facility in the Netherlands and burning the Danish PM at a stake in protest against lockdown have really shaken me. Would it happen here? Who is organising this? Fascists? Sometimes I read comments against lockdown on here and I think such a mood is being primed.

Wouldn't be much of a fire here are local ones are all in tents

@Bewareoftheblob why is it a good thing to burn down a COVID testing facility and attacking hospitals?

@redsquirrelfan What about those living in poverty and deprivation, using food banks, surviving on UC, living in appalling conditions or homeless prior to covid ? In view of the kind of governments elected over the last few years not many are really bothered unless it affects them. Just faux concern sadly...

I don’t agree with it but surely you can see why young people, particularly those who were already marginalised, whose lives have been wrecked (in their view) and who don’t really have anything to lose, might kick off? I’m surprised there’s not more of it to be honest, particularly went the rent-a-mob crew get involved.

Wouldn't be much of a fire here are local ones are all in tents

Wow, you've got posh ones!!

The one I was at the other evening had nothing more than a pop up gazebo! Not much to torch there.

Why did they burn down a testing centre

I think this is because a lot of people believe that mass testing is being used as a way to control the population. I.e. case numbers go up, everyone gets locked indoors again. A lot of people believe that the people dying of covid now would have been dying of flu last year and so we need to accept it and get on with our lives. I'm not saying I agree with this, that's just what they think.

But it is the fact it is young people that interests me. It is not those under massive stress of wfh and homeschooling etc. I just want to know the demographic, the motives, whether the Q people have got into their heads.

OP your narrative of this is exactly why young people are rioting. You think we're not under stress and should just put up and shut up and that you have it the hardest of all

Young people are being locked away for what we're always told is 'the best years of our lives'
We're the majority of people employed in industries that have been massively affected and shut down by COVID (bars
We've been largely ignored by the government except when they want to vilify and blame us
Uni students are paying the same amount for massively reduced teaching, restricted access to resources and no 'uni experience' (clubs, societies, ect) that we were promised
Students are paying massive amounts of rent for accomodation they can't use with not even a mention of rebates by the government
Young people are aware that we're the ones who are going to pay for this in the long run whilst simultaneously seeing our futures decimated as there are no jobs
We're being locked away to protect an NHS that realistically many of us think won't be there by the time we'll really need its services
We're staying home to (mostly) protect the elderly whom are comfortable in their big houses with their pensions whilst we have no hopes of ever getting on the housing ladder and will never realistically get a pension.

Young people feel like we're giving up tons of things for other people. And then when we dare complain about what we've had to give up were told by people like you that we have it so easy with not having to home school and to put up and shut up - essentially diminishing our struggles.

We've all been asked to sacrifice during this time. But not everyone's sacrifices are as great as others. And for many the sacrifices is not proportional to the gain.

Since March I have been against the lock down legislation. It should just be voluntary even if that means my own risk of death is 100x what it is now. However I follow the law.
I hope England can lift a lot of CV19 measures next month and at least get schools back, allow small weddings again and start to allow people to leave the house when they like and let people make their own choices.

@trulydelicious Marxist really. Quite the opposite.
Thought it was all libertarian tufton street types opposing it ? Quite alot of ERG mps are against lockdown. Much gnashing of teeth about the cost to the economy, having to wear muzzles and the state intervening excessively in peoples' lives. Hardly marxist...

@AuntyClementine

particularly went the rent-a-mob crew get involved

These mercenaries should be locked up

@furonthecoat

But it is the fact it is young people that interests me. It is not those under massive stress of wfh and homeschooling etc. I just want to know the demographic, the motives, whether the Q people have got into their heads.

OP your narrative of this is exactly why young people are rioting. You think we're not under stress and should just put up and shut up and that you have it the hardest of all

Young people are being locked away for what we're always told is 'the best years of our lives'
We're the majority of people employed in industries that have been massively affected and shut down by COVID (bars
We've been largely ignored by the government except when they want to vilify and blame us
Uni students are paying the same amount for massively reduced teaching, restricted access to resources and no 'uni experience' (clubs, societies, ect) that we were promised
Students are paying massive amounts of rent for accomodation they can't use with not even a mention of rebates by the government
Young people are aware that we're the ones who are going to pay for this in the long run whilst simultaneously seeing our futures decimated as there are no jobs
We're being locked away to protect an NHS that realistically many of us think won't be there by the time we'll really need its services
We're staying home to (mostly) protect the elderly whom are comfortable in their big houses with their pensions whilst we have no hopes of ever getting on the housing ladder and will never realistically get a pension.

Young people feel like we're giving up tons of things for other people. And then when we dare complain about what we've had to give up were told by people like you that we have it so easy with not having to home school and to put up and shut up - essentially diminishing our struggles.

We've all been asked to sacrifice during this time. But not everyone's sacrifices are as great as others. And for many the sacrifices is not proportional to the gain.

Great post!

I can absolutely understand the anger and frustration that has led to rioting. I'm always bemused as how complacent the UK population are compared to those on the continent.

I can't see the situation improving unless lockdowns are rapidly relaxed. There will be more and more pent up anger and frustration, particularly as the summer months come upon us.

So now can we stop slagging off the British who have been remarkably quiet and abiding?

I would like to protest against school closures but for various reasons I won’t. I don’t condone fires etc but have huge sympathy with protestors

Furonthecoat- that’s the post of the year

Marxist? - you really don't don't know what you are talking about. I thought it ws the Marxist stasi types who were bringing lockdown about. Guess it i just that fluid kind of term - like bolshevik or jew or indeed marxist under the Nazis - that can just be flung around.

Of course, I understand how much young people have lost - have two of them here, broken by what has happened to their lives - but I don't see them rioting. They wear masks on the street even. (which according to some on MN is just virtue signalling and utterly repellent) ....so I ask again, who are the ones who are? Just want a bit of demographics - are they students? Are they unemployed? Are they the homeless? Are they whipped up by social media - or are they disconnected? Does anyone care. Are they government agents.....or are they indeed, every single one of them card carrying members of a Communist organisation - very likely, of course.

[quote Victoriacres]@trulydelicious Marxist really. Quite the opposite.
Thought it was all libertarian tufton street types opposing it ? Quite alot of ERG mps are against lockdown. Much gnashing of teeth about the cost to the economy, having to wear muzzles and the state intervening excessively in peoples' lives. Hardly marxist...[/quote]
What like those "peaceful" protesters in the US at the moment who are smashing up Seattle and Portland at the moment? The ones who got the president, administration and change they claimed to be protesting for last year but are now screaming "Fuck Joe Biden" and are in fact just taking full advantage of the fundamental unrest and dissatisfaction in that country to keep pushing their agenda and maintain the civil unrest that they hope will ultimately lead to civil war and/or revolution.