The feeling in London amongst Londoners tonight, myself included is one of complete disgust to the scumbag thugs who caused widespread violence and upset in our city last night and threaten to continue so tonight. For it is not only independent shopkeepers that have been affected, but people of all ages – mothers and children ran for shelter from the thugs last night and this morning the elderly had trouble collecting prescriptions from local pharmacies that had been looted.
On route to record my album just off the Walworth Road not far from Peckham I saw how so many shops had smashed with broken glass lining the pavements. Independent shopkeepers whose livelihoods are now grossly affected struggled to clear up the mess some with tears in their eyes.
These riots underline a growing tension in the capital with regards the distrust of the current British government who continue to cut public spending for our communities. YOUNG PEOPLE NEED TO BE INVESTED IN MR. CAMERON – Young people need places to hang out and people to believe in them. This is what happens say when youth centres are forced to close and young people are left to their own devices many only boredom and technology to keep them occupied. These are not starvation riots. These are riots directly connected with criminality for the purpose of attaining material goods, computer games and technological items. Last night as we came out of the recording studio 10 thugs came running towards us laden with TV plasma screens, their heads covered with balaclavas. It may have been understandable if they had raided the book store for encyclopedias for educational reasons but for the sake of a few technological items and trainers from sports shops marks the beginning of a very sad state of affairs….