If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

- George Washington

Wednesday 24 August 2011

Broken Window Theory

According to the Beeb:
Scientists and researchers have also been analysing riot footage in the city [Birmingham], hoping to learn more about the way crowds behave so preventative measures can be adopted.
This sounds like pretty much the only sensible response I have read about so far.

Dr Patrick Tissington, associate dean of business partnerships at Aston University, viewed footage of an attack on a sweet shop in Birmingham.

It was targeted during the first wave of disorder on 8 August, in the city centre.

The footage shows one or two young men trying to smash the shop's window before others join as a crowd watches.

And you learned that ...

Dr Tissington said: "When one person goes at it, several others join in because it's now been established it's OK to do that because someone is doing that and no one is stepping in to stop them."

A message for the Police: get in there, as hard as necessary, when the first one starts and nip it in the bud. If you stand back and watch it all happen (and still no-one has explained why you did), then the disorder will increase exponentially, until it is out of control.

It's not rocket surgery.

7 comments:

  1. But Richard, the poor constables on the beat have been forcefully brainwashed by their mandatory Diversity Training to take a lenient view where an allegation of ethnic prejudice 'could' be used to block their promotion chances. Which to me seems to then contradict their Equality Training.

    Early footage broadcast of the original 'protests' in Tottenham that triggered the national Rioting & Looting involved youths of very limited ethnic backgrounds.

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  2. Scrotes and layabouts have also been analysing riot footage in the city [London], hoping to learn more about the way police behave so self aggrandising measures can be adopted.

    "Allo,is that you Wayne? Nah lissen I aint got no credit but this is how it is yeah "When one person goes at it, several others join in 'cause it's now been established it's OK to do that 'cause someone is doing that right and no one is stepping in to stop them. Yeah right, sorted see you darn the Arndale, laters"

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  3. " If you stand back and watch it all happen (and still no-one has explained why you did)..."

    There are theories, though. Joe Public's is one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm sure Joe's right. It vall started with that 'peaceful' demo round the police station, which needed treating with sensitivity for exactly the reasons given, i.e. the Police would almost certainly get it wrong whatever they did. But when the rioting had kicked off later on, I'm sure I wasn't the only one shocked to see people torching buildings and looting while the Police stood by in apparent tolerance or approval. I'm not blaming the individual coppers for that - it was a decision taken high up. And that's the 'explanation' I am waiting for.

    Banned, you speak the language well. Perhaps too well ...

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  5. Please help me for Christ sake

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  6. I'd bet the problem was actually a decision that wasn't taken higher up, at least nothing like quickly enough. Good money says that, following all the recent negative police publicity, nobody in the ranks can authorise any action without getting sign-off in triplicate from a dozen different public relations governance points, plus the nod from da government to say it won't cause political embarrassment. Until then, all the police can do is stand around looking stern.

    Although I almost prefer today's best tin-foil-hat suggestion from CiF: it was allowing the underclasses time to demonise themselves, so that Cameron would be able to introduce totalitarian rule on the streets before next year's Olympics.

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  7. It was like watching film of the Blitz. I can remember seeing a whole block of shops in London in flames, and the heat setting fire to a set of traffic lights on the opposite side of the road. It was truly shocking, but what was more shocking was seeing the Police standing by watching it happen. If that had happened in any other country, questions would be asked about police collusion with the rioters. And yet according to various articles in CiF, concern for the victims of all this is right-wing Sun-reader-think, and can be dismissed. Heads MUST roll over this, and at a high level. Will they? No. Not under our caring Conservative Party.

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