Tesco? Riots? Squatters?... Just when you thought Bristol couldn't be any more interesting!

[Chil1234]

What on earth is going on in Bristol? Police injured? Armed raids? Understand that Tesco gets a few people hot under the collar but who goes to the lengths of occupying a squat just so they can foment devlish plans to place an unexpected item (like a petrol bomb) in the bagging area?

For those of us who actually live in Bristol, we know there is a lot more to this than Tescos. There has been local opposition to this Tesco for over a year now. Also I understand that it's not actually allowed to sell alcohol because Stokes Croft has a real issue with street drinking.

There really is an element of someone (not necessarily the police) wanting the criminal damage to take place. Just look at some of the stuff on youtube. Where are the police here when about 100 people are watching six people beat the windows in. Hardly a rampaging mob.

There are also reports of people just walking home and getting hit by truncheons. Seriously though, hardly coincidence that it was a Thursday before lots of bank holidays. Means they didn't have to pay the police extra rates. And why all the police from South Wales? We're hardly short of police round here.

Stokes Croft is a really interesting area that is rapidly regenerating, very arty. The irony is that the Tesco will help regenerate the area further, there aren't local shops selling good cheap milk, bread, bananas etc. Probably only a few hundred people live in Stokes Croft but loads of people pass through every day and it will help other businesses.

If the squatters had not needed evicting it wouldn't have happened. If the police had been confident the squatters would move without trouble, likewise. If the police had not feared gangs would turn up, likewise.

I do hope that if the squatters/terrorists are foreign, that they are immediately deported.

Gooseberry, why carry out at eviction at night instead of early morning though?

And what gangs are you talking about?

countingto and those others saying that Tesco is not wanted there. Say that again in 3 months time when the store is packed with customers. Some of those in the squats may be working there and glad of it.

Tesco would never open a store if there were any chance it would be empty of customers. So the shoppers clearly DO want Tesco.

Would those objecting to tesco here have been okay if it had been Waitrose? is that the problem?

Indeed, onagar. If the Tesco is genuinely unwanted, then no-one will shop there, and it will close.

Tesco have presumably followed the letter of the law, and so are allowed to open the shop.

Now let the market decide - not wannabe-terrorist anarchist squatters, armed with firebombs, and hellbent on criminality and violence.

I would take the word of the police over that of squatters every single time. Squatters have chosen to be a menace to society - the police to risk their very lives protecting it. I know who I instinctively side with.

Would that be the word of the police who said that Ian Tomlinson just fell over and had a heart attack?

The police are by no means perfect - they share all our human frailties - but at least, on the whole, they make our society better.

Every single squatter makes our society worse.

Actually I don't have a high opinion of the police at all, but there is no doubt that squatters are criminals and people who want to use violence to get their way are criminals.

And people who say planning applications should be ignored if they don't win are undermining the rule of law even before they act on it.

The housing benefit cuts are minor and long overdue. I am disappointed that they are so modest - it will still be possible to get £400 a week in housing benefit (and generally, the new rules will still let claimants live in the 30th best house out of every 100).

Three hundred people turning out to watch the eviction?

Doing it at night, to ensure it's successful I suppose.

People are jolly keen to defend criminal/anti-social behaviour. Not surprising there's so much of it about.

DarthNiqabi, I agree about the housing benefit cuts and the disappearance of affordable housing.

Squatters would still be criminals though even if we did have a lot of sympathy for their situation. You only have to think "but suppose that was my house they took over?"

It's like that thing where people say "would you steal a loaf of bread to feed a child". Yes of course, but the baker has kids too and rent to pay. It's never 'right' to break the law.

how do ladys, went down yestrday and talked to loads of people who were there.

Its my old nabourhood.

The fire bragade would of gone in with the police and the other houses evacuated if there were petrol bombs.

It is creadable that there are idiots shooting there mouths off to the mass of undercover that populate this side of town over a tube of white lightening .But i cant beleave the police would of been so cackhanded in there operation to not have the fire brgrade with them on entering the building.

Somethings not right about this.

The first reports yesterday stated that the Tescos was actual fire bombed.Youtube footage and eyewitness reports states otherwise and I have seen this amended in varous newspapers.

It will be intresting when the tescos plans to reopen.

Its going to be a long hot summer.

I went down there today-squatters not evicted. It was raided because of the petrol bombs- WHICH THEY FOUND.
Tescos shut and boarded up- the real community, not those that chose to join in are sad and disgusted with the behaviour of outsiders in their community. POlice presence huge. Most traders lost a day of business yesterday. The cost of the clear up will be huge-road covered in paint, glass all up the side street and hefty insurance claims being made for innocent people who had their property damaged.
The police would not have gone in without good reason-normally would go in the morning so something made them change their plans I suspect. Difficult call in a sensitive area, full of students drinking on a hot day. It will be interesting to find out what comes of this.
I would urge Tesco not to open again-as I said in an earlier post-this is the third occasion that violence has occurred and that alone is not fair on the local community. The council must listen too-they are the ones that can have a say and control it by revoking their trading licence- otherwise as I said before- this will go on all summer......
As for squatters-we only hear about the bad eggs. There are some well behaved squatters who care for the buildings and the community- I should know- I work to befreind and support them and help them back into a more 'conventional' way of life-if that is what they want. The good ones build community and engage with those around them so please think about why they may be there- abuse, addiction, poverty, mental illness, running away from trafficking/pimps etc. Particularly for lonfingernails- I mean this with compassion-please think on it.

Which the police say they found. Think I'll wait and see if any convictions come of it before we kbow if it's true - wouldn't be the first time charges like that were quietly dropped...

Gooseberry - still not clear what gangs you are referring to? The people that were on Stokes Croft that night?

Interested in how you're defining the "real community" M44, and who are outsiders?

M44, thanks for the eye witness view of things.

You're not seriously suggesting that tesco have their licence revoked to please the local criminals? Have we started bargaining with terrorists now?

A large portion of the people who joined in just happened to be there-students thinking it was for a good cause etc.....but social networking has a lot to answer to. By real community- I mean the people who live and have businesses there. All the people I know who live down there did not join in and didn't want the violence.....I know quite a few, have lived there and been part of the community for 20 +years.
It is a combination of bad timing, a need to act and the result of hot balmy evenings and multi national that refuses to listen....we will wait on the reports that I am sure local groups will push for....
I don't question the need for the police to act- they would not have gone in without good cause, especially as it required officers from other forces to come in.
I am still very sad about it as so much good is beginning to happen in that area. As I said before it is also to do with bad property management.....

No I don't think for a moment the licence should be revoked for the 'criminals' at all. The local community petitioned correctly at the start with ahuge amount of support from locals. I do see it as a bad planning decision and the one body that could make a difference is the council. This violence from a few that don't understand that what they have done has possibly made it worse is wrong-I am in no doubt......the wider issue is why Tescos got their planning in an area that will suffer for them being there.

Might be interested in the view from those who lived at the squat - not protesting Tesco and no petrol bombs here

As part of the "real community" I condemn the ridiculous police operation by the way.