# Tottenham north London riots **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 7, 2011, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836 "2011-08-07T17:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/21 "2011-08-08T21:11:58Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > It’s weird about the looting, I was just reading about the riots at the Wisconsin State Fair, hundreds of rioters were just attacking people exiting the fair for no discernible reason. Apparently mobs that big have been happening in Boston, New Jersey, Philly, and other places this year, but with little or no media coverage. Makes me glad to live in a rural area. I’m in the Philly suburbs and yes, they have been having a problem with violent flash mobs in the city. Apparently they’re organizing through social media. Why people want to gather to commit random violence against innocents is beyond me. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/22 "2011-08-08T21:27:43Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > Is the summer weather in north London hotter than usual? Or have young people been looking for an excuse for awhile now? It’s the fourth bad summer in a row: I know it’s pissing me off. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/23 "2011-08-08T21:29:27Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m in the Philly suburbs and yes, they have been having a problem with violent \*\*flash mobs \*\*in the city. Apparently they’re organizing through social media. Why people want to gather to commit random violence against innocents is beyond me. Do they do their song and dance routine before or after they loot the surrounding stores? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/24 "2011-08-08T21:37:08Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Do they do their song and dance routine before or after they loot the surrounding stores? Hey, lookee here at a racist fuckwit. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/25 "2011-08-08T21:37:09Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > It’s weird about the looting, I was just reading about the riots at the Wisconsin State Fair, hundreds of rioters were just attacking people exiting the fair for no discernible reason. Apparently mobs that big have been happening in Boston, New Jersey, Philly, and other places this year, but with little or no media coverage. Makes me glad to live in a rural area. I hadn’t heard about that. What’s with the lack of media coverage? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/26 "2011-08-08T21:39:08Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Do they do their song and dance routine before or after they loot the surrounding stores? I said “ **violent** flash mobs”. They’re quite different from the ones you’re thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/27 "2011-08-08T21:46:18Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Hey, lookee here at a racist fuckwit. :rolleyes: > [@Foghorn Leghorn](#): > > That’s a joke, I say, that’s a joke, son. > [@Sergeant Hulka](#): > > Lighten up, Francis. ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/28 "2011-08-08T21:47:36Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Hey, lookee here at a racist fuckwit. Baron Greenback, you’ve been here long enough to know the rules. You want to call someone names, you do so in the Pit. This is a warning for you. Don’t do it in this forum again, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/29 "2011-08-08T21:48:22Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Hey, lookee here at a racist fuckwit. I think your comment is misplaced. In the past there have been peaceful flash mobs that consisted of people spontaneously breaking into song and dance routines in public. I’m certain that’s what Omar was referring to. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/30 "2011-08-08T21:56:06Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I think your comment is misplaced. In the past there have been peaceful flash mobs that consisted of people spontaneously breaking into song and dance routines in public. I’m certain that’s what Omar was referring to. Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/31 "2011-08-08T22:03:39Z")
Night three and it’s starting to get very scary here. The rioting was initially happening in the areas where this kind of thing has happened before - Brixton and Tottenham namely. But now it’s spreading to totally different places like Croydon, Clapham and Peckham. Clapham is a pretty gentrified and wealthy area, and it’s not too far from where I live in Wimbledon. People are starting to get seriously scared here. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/32 "2011-08-08T22:08:50Z")
Clapham? CLAPHAM? Dude where the hell is the militia. Anyway your are a civil servant are’nt you, you guys should at least be attempting something. It will soon be like 1380. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/33 "2011-08-08T22:13:15Z")
Nutty! My mate reports this: “it is complete madness here - chemist and shops are being looted - its only frigging Dulwich - aint got nothing much - talk is Sainsburys is being done” ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/34 "2011-08-08T22:22:44Z")
If hospitals start reporting an influx of people being admitted with bite wounds, panic. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/35 "2011-08-08T22:23:37Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > It will soon be like 1380. Please explain to the thick American. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/36 "2011-08-08T22:28:30Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m in the Philly suburbs and yes, they have been having a problem with violent flash mobs in the city. Apparently they’re organizing through social media. Why people want to gather to commit random violence against innocents is beyond me. Spokespeople at Blackberry have said they’ll aid police in tracking down the troublemakers who are using social media to organize the violence. > **[London riots: BlackBerry to help police probe Messenger looting 'role'](https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/aug/08/london-riots-blackberry-messenger-looting)** > > Met police claim popular, encrypted and free Messenger service fanned riots in Tottenham and helped organise looting ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/37 "2011-08-08T22:31:40Z")
> [@Rilchiam](#): > > Please explain to the thick American. Maybe he means the [Peasants’ Revolt](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peasants'_Revolt) in 1381. If not, it is at least an opportunity to introduce one of my favorite jokes: Q: Who led the Pedants’ Revolt? A: Which Tyler ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/38 "2011-08-08T22:33:05Z")
I see. Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/39 "2011-08-08T22:33:56Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Indeed. 😕 He didn’t say anything racist. Your insistence that he did is puzzling. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836/40 "2011-08-08T22:39:03Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I think your comment is misplaced. In the past there have been peaceful flash mobs that consisted of people spontaneously breaking into song and dance routines in public. I’m certain that’s what Omar was referring to. [Here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd8ppk0UCx8) (video) is the commercial you’re probably thinking of. Note that **Baron Greenback** is not in the US and presumably is not familiar with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tottenham-north-london-riots/591836.md?page=3)