haha, what are the riots actually about??? i dont keep up to date on the news

Yeah, I've been watching what's happening.

Among them were a graphic designer, college students, a youth worker, a university graduate and a man signed up to join the army. Some gave non-London addresses. Eighteen were remanded in custody.

I was surprised when I saw that.

said:

I didnt think UK police had guns? Why was he shot?

Yeah, CO19 (firearms) officers shot him in an operation. They've not actually released what the operation was. The guy had a modified replica firearm but hadn't fired it... thats what caused the riots, people took the view he didn't pose a threat and was executed by the officers involved.

[hr]Some info for you.
CO19 officers (london met police) - have firearms - formerly known as SO19.
mod police (ministry of defence) - have firearms
nuclear constabulary officers - don't take a shit without an assault rifle.
specialist units (SOCA) - have firearms
ARU/ARV [armed response unit/vehicle] (local police forces) - have firearms
bobbies on the beat - don't, although in a large percentage of areas usually pursuit officers (drivers) are now taser authorised, as with tactical driving they need prior authorisation before scratching their backsides let alone PIT'ing or tasering someone. I'll tell you this for free, you see that red dot, you drop and comply. I've seen it used and I wouldn't argue.

[spoiler=Beware wall of text && bad language]I think it's a load of crap. I'm sick of A) cameron saying it's a broken damn society and B) these idiot criminals 1) getting caught and publically screwed over and 2) using the same old excuse "we have no money, no prospescts" etc. There are those people who have nothing and do something or try to do something about it and there are the people who want to sit around bitching about it all day as if thats all they're getting in life.

It's amazing how people in those areas can grow up to become lawyers, doctors well educated people, while the rest of the area wants to fuck them over the people who do well. Alan Sugar being one such person who's done well (off the top of my head). People are getting too comfy living on benefits not having to get their asses out of bed except to go down the jobby (jobcentre to anyone not in the UK). What annoys me even more is when I work my ass off to (in some cases protect some of these idiots) and then have to donate my taxes to them.

As you might have guessed I didn't do too well in sociology, mainly because I think this has nothing to do with social interaction but more to do with parents responsibilities, kids having some backbone and doing stuff for themselves for a change and the state not withdrawing possible avenues for people who want to better their lives... tuition fees being another rant :P. [/rant] Sociology shouldn't be a science either! [/rant][/rant][/spoiler]