August 10, 2011. The riots in England are forcing a major change in mindset from authorities there. Here’s the latest news flashes.
**The San Francisco Chronicle reports that David Lammy, a member of the UK Parliament, yesterday called for the suspension of BlackBerry service to prevent its use among rioters.
**A travel advisory has been issued for London after riots in England.
**At least 700 people have been arrested regarding the riots and that figure is expected to rise to about 1 000.
Time magazine online’s top tweets: “That’s my car on fire.”
The BBC reports that Twitter users have planned a major clean-up. Twitter and Facebook users are harnessing the power of social networking to co-ordinate operations.
The Guardian: English courts have had to sit through the night to deal with criminal charges from four nights of looting and rioting in English cities.
From Bloomberg: Research In Motion Ltd’s BlackBerry has become indispensable among executives for its easy-to-use messaging service. That same feature is attracting looters in Britain’s worst rioting since the 1980s.
Scottish police sent to help tackle England riots: All eight Scottish forces lend personnel and equipment to police in northern England and Midlands
BBC: London riots, residents cautioned over vigilantism. London’s Metropolitan Police have warned Londoners against forming “vigilante patrol groups”.
In the video: Patrol cars, a building and a double-decker bus were among items torched as rioters clashed with police officers at the weekend in front of the Tottenham Police Station, where people had gathered to demand “justice” for the death of a man identified locally as Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old father of four, killed in an apparent gunfight.
The riots in the United Kingdom continued on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday and have spread north to Birmingham, Manchester and other centres in the UK. Nottingham and Liverpool also targeted. British leaders are reflecting on the causes of the violence, considering parenting issues, the lack of hope and aspirations among the youth and the spread of gang culture.