The Flaming Bullet

© 2012 by AJ Chapman. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/14/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4261-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4262-9 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4772-4263-6 (e)

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Contents

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER ONE

RIOTS AND RACISM: HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

CHAPTER TWO

LOOTERS: RAMPAGING OF THE RIOTERS

CHAPTER THREE

VICTIMS: BURNING DESIRE FOR JUSTICE

CHAPTER FOUR

FIGHTBACK AND AFTERMATH: IRON FIST OR VELVET GLOVE

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to the memory of Mark Duggan, his family, friends and all victims of riots, racism, violence, inequality, oppression, deprivation and injustice

On behalf of the victims of past riots, the author would like to thank the sterling work of the emergency services involved in protecting, supporting and saving lives

This book encourages members of professional bodies, charities and organisations which propagate and implement positive measures pertaining to racism, injustice, civil rights, poverty and opportunity for all without discrimination and prejudice

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Wikipedia

The Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

The Damilola Taylor Trust

The Colourful Times

The Voice

The British Broadcasting Corporation

The Ministry of Justice

Channel 4 News

Channel 5 News

Sky News

The Daily Mail

The Guardian

The Times

The Telegraph

With special accreditations to

N Ellis

G Holding

M Williams

N Bell

C Davis

N Samuel

P Richbourg

P Zagloul

M Barnet

B Johnson

Y Mead

FOREWORD

THE PURPOSE OF this book is to determine the underlying causes of the 2011 riots that took place in August 2011, which emanated from London and spread like an uncontrollable cancer to other English cities and towns. Furthermore, this book dissects and attempts to identify inherent problems and taboos within British society that inhibit its development. Moreover, it delves into controversial subjects

such as inequality, discrimination, injustice and oppression pertaining to all its citizens and to address the issue of equal opportunity for all, especially those from deprived or unstable backgrounds. Added to this, it encapsulates and examines a variety of controversial racial, sociological, political and economic issues that are often deemed to be taboos in today’s modernistic Britain from a philosophical perspective.

Indeed, what has spurned the writing of this book is the knowledge that our country has become a dismal reflection of what it once was. Now we are crippled with a lost generation and underclass that are predominantly poorly educated and cannot work because they are limited with the opportunities available to them. Added to this, many middle aged people have lost the will to carry on as experience is so frowned upon in Britain’s ageist society.

Our nation has evolved into a distorted way of thinking and lack of moral rectitude in all avenues of life. This is largely due to over zealous EU law and frustrating bureaucracy regarding every aspect of British life, no matter how insignificant. This has propagated a loss of morality and common decency in many people and has coincided with controversial policies introduced under New Labour.

Moreover, our country is a shadow of what it was at the height of the British Empire in terms of power, economic influence and position in the wider world. However, fortunately the evil days of slavery for Africans, West Indians and other ebony islanders are long passed but alas; a lingering and subtle undertow of oppression still exists towards them but in a more subtle disguise, beneath a veneer of respectability that is displayed by British institutions and the Establishment.

Since the disturbances of August 2011, our country has been shamed by individuals who took it upon themselves to attack their own communities with little or no apparent remorse. With an overwhelming sense of resentment at a variety of different issues and corresponding alienation from their own communities, they shamed themselves and the country they purport to belong to.

Surprisingly, the rioters not only included a social underclass but also people with more respectable backgrounds who simply should have known better. This was due to the stirring up of a mob mentality and the temptation to join in by many, in the deluded hope they would escape retribution. Indeed, as we shall discover, some offenders came from well off families and seemingly had no logical reason to be involved apart from morbid curiosity, the heat of the moment, greedy materialism or the thrill of it all.

Issues such as government policy, social attitudes, inherent taboos, moral decline, instant gratification and mass globalisation are explored as to the extent to which they have shaped our society in the modern age and shall have a legacy for generations to come.

INTRODUCTION

WHEN A YOUNG man was gunned down and lying on a pavement, in close proximity to a North London tube station, he would not have believed what was about to follow his memorable death. On a warm August night, in close proximity to Tottenham Hale station in North London he breathed his last.

It was known that he had been tracked by cops for sometime over alleged drug dealing and was supposedly involved in gang warfare. Leading up to his shooting on Thursday August 4, 2011, it is thought that he had taken the precaution of not using his own car and had ordered a cab to propel him to his destination. However, witnesses at the scene and certain members within the Jamaican community were saying otherwise. Was it not peculiar that the supposed mysterious cab driver had never come forward to be interviewed I wonder?

Apparently, we later learnt that Mark Duggan had texted his fiancée to draw her attention to the fact that he was being pursued by police and was concerned about the ensuing situation he found himself in. According to reports, he had been picked up at outside the Tottenham area and was travelling towards it when police abruptly caused the vehicle he was occupying to halt and subsequently ordered him to exit it, ending up spread-eagled on the ground.

With details of the incident enshrouded in secrecy and somewhat sketchy, we are led to believe that the deceased was a young man from the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham and had been shot by the Metropolitan Police’s Trident team. The team are responsible for dealing with black crime in the vicinity of Greater London and had used sub machine guns after Mark was deemed to be a sufficient threat to them. As a subsequent investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission was to unearth, they were sadly mistaken.

How a police calibre bullet ended up in an officer’s radio is very suspicious and alas, we will probably never know. What we do know is that Mr Duggan had a weapon in his possession but was later discovered to have not been deployed during the incident. It seemed that the Met had made yet another blunder but it was assumed that the public and especially the Jamaican community would receive pertinent answers as to the circumstances surrounding Mark’s death. Sadly though, as in past cases where young black men have died at the hands of the police, the associated errors would again be swiftly brushed under the carpet and forgotten about. However, rumours abounded within the black community and especially the West Indians’ that we were all in for an unruly wake up call.

For decades, members of the various communities comprising the London Boroughs which are predominantly African, West Indian or Asian, were fully aware of the upsurge and glamourisation of the ‘gangster culture’. This had now infected many urban areas of England via the media, growth of the technological age surrounding the internet and the influence of the gangster scene from across the pond in the United States.

The youth of today need to be kept off the streets and given a sense of purpose, self worth and hope in their lives. To this end, it is commendable that youth centres throughout Britain are able to work towards this achievement. However, this is not helped when youth groups and sport clubs are being shut down giving our youth no haven to keep them occupied and out of trouble from the streets or perhaps their disruptive family life at home.

Indeed, the destructive influence of government policy and in particular Tory cuts, youth and social workers hands are largely tied when dealing with the problem of youngsters roaming around aimlessly and sadly, sometimes getting up to no good. However, to the government’s credit, some schemes have been introduced to give youngsters better opportunities regarding engagement within their communities and employment prospects.

Many rioters’ from ethnic minorities have cited the motive of revenge for being oppressed by police stop and search powers, coalition government cuts, deficiencies regarding employment opportunities and a lingering alienation from their communities that is endemic and linked to gang culture. Indeed, once a youngster has succumbed to the seductive influence of gang culture, from a parent’s point of view, it is easier to get a camel through the proverbial eye of a needle rather than to retrieve their child’s soul after becoming entangled.

When we examine society as a whole, we soon discover that overall we have become more of a greedy nation with a lustful desire to constantly gratify our sinful cravings with apparent shameless self-indulgence. That is to say, from the selfish greed and ineptitude of bankers, politicians, police and other institutions, we have almost imperceptibly been sucked into a vacuum of shameless arrogance, gluttonous materialism and blind ignorance.

The lack of respect for those in authority today is not simply born out from the fact that many youngsters from broken homes have lost their way, but that those senior figures within society, who should be revered or at least respected, are not held in high esteem by mere mortals due to their own lack of propriety in public life. Moreover, this means that our youth are set a poor example of how to live and how to treat other people with dignity and respect which become more acute without having a ‘father’ figure to aspire to.

In modern Britain, not one section of society has been left untouched and ravaged by the social diseases of materialism and commercialism. The acquisition of wealth, power, stardom and sex is seen by many as the be all and end all, as is a built-in recognition to resent those who are perceived to lead an easy life or have more abundance. Let us face the facts, were it not for the easy credit provided by the banks, credit card firms and loan sharks under the ‘New Labour’ government, many households that were reliant on benefits then, could have only have dreamt of owning a shiny new automobile, undertaking home improvements, purchasing household goods, buying a new wardrobe or even jetting off into the great blue yonder for a long vacation if they were fortunate enough. How times have changed.

The further provision of finance companies such as ‘Brighthouse’ to aid those who are looking for replacement or superior electrical appliances, albeit at extortionate interest rates for the consumer, has enabled many families to own the latest electrical goods and to keep up with the Jones’. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the concept of buying material things in isolation that are needed, but when it breeds a philosophy of materialistic greed and a deluded sense of self-entitlement to have whatever one desires when one wants then it can have a destructive impact on people. In essence, this has been demonstrated by the looters attitude throughout the five nights of disorder in August 2011 and arguably has been bred by the culture of easy welfare dependency available back in the late nineties.

With the economy in such a stagnant mode with such a pathetic growth rate, drop in exports, rising unemployment, high inflation and associated rising living costs is it any wonder so many families with poor or even middle incomes are struggling? With increased council tax, depressing interest rates for savers, extortionate energy bills and fuel prices hitting an all time record high thus threatening the rich tapestry within our country, it stands to reason that the majority of people will be resentful and vehemently opposed to it.

There is no argument in my mind that poverty, deprivation and a prevailing lack of opportunity for youngsters in modern Britain was a convincing cause of the riots we witnessed. To suppose, like many critics have commented, that the unrest was driven by simple criminality is both narrow-minded and simplistic. Let us be under no illusions, the causes of the disturbances in August 2011, are complex and varied depending on location and other factors to be discussed in this book.

Clearly, the riots of 2011 have taken on a different guise to those of past years such as in 1981 and 1985. The riots back then, as a riot is defined is violent unrest and looting but propelled by a political or ideological agenda. Furthermore, a riot is motivated by a perceived or real injustice, usually involving an instance of racial discrimination and is manifested by a violent reaction usually perpetrated by a multitude of participants.

As was the case with past riots, the similarity with the latest unrest stems from frustration with the authorities in terms of answering poignant questions about the untimely death of a British black person at the hands of the police. Moreover, it has to be noted that past riots came about after starting out as peaceful protests, as was the case with many people from Broadwater Farm, North London in 2011. Sadly, as in the past, a peaceful protest degenerated into mob violence and mass looting of shops. Perhaps those who resorted to violence missed a trick by not concentring their wrath upon the police instead of their own communities?

The subsequent ‘copy cat’ riots that were spawned after the initial Tottenham riot, have been utilised by criminal gangs, youngsters and even more upstanding members of society. Indeed, many had what they perceived to be an opportunity to take full advantage of gaining free electrical and designer goods for the purposes of selling on for personal gain.

It follows that the greed of the bankers, politicians, media and other powers that be is just the same and just as endemic as it was amongst the minds of the looters and rioters. The parallels between the latest unrest and past disturbances are that nearly all have occurred under a Tory government whilst in the process or under imminent threat of public service cuts. Added to this is the obvious factor of being initiated within an urban area predominantly occupied by West Indians under a dark cloud of police brutality, racism, oppression and poor community relations.

This is not to say that community relations between the black community and the police in Tottenham, for instance, were any worse than what they were thirty years ago. But then again, one cannot assume they are much better after this latest incident. One thing has become glaringly apparent now though, that there is a great gaping chasm of mistrust between the police and blacks, specifically the Jamaican fraternity regarding the demise of Mark Duggan.

Obviously the shooting of Mark was a step too far and the lack of sufficient answers and support from the IPCC proved to be a catalyst to the disturbances. Clearly, the longer the vow of silence went on regarding answers then the more everyone was thinking that a cover up was involved. Pressure was mounting on the IPCC to produce some answers and when they did eventually it was too little too late. The subsequent inquiries regarding the case have been a complete farce and have only increased the residual pain of the Duggan family, who have had no closure regarding Mark’s death.

Why were the IPCC keeping up such a thick smokescreen between the family and the black community in Tottenham for so long? Have community relations between the black and particularly the Jamaican community eroded away for good? Will the case of Mark Duggan end up mirroring what has become of the shooting of Azelle Rodney by police in 2005?

With the ‘cloak and dagger’ approach taken by the Establishment regarding such cases, only time will tell. Before the 2011 riots had commenced, community relations with the police had supposedly improved. However, how can this be with the rise in stop and search figures of black men in proportion to Caucasian or even Asian, specifically in the London area?

The sociological, psychological and material damage of the August 2011 riots will last for a considerable time and will live long in the memory. Indeed, the disturbances arguably raise more questions than what they answer about the abandoned and feckless youth of our time. In England, around 500 000 families are estimated to have been those from which rioters emanated from. In particular, the thorny issue of institutional racism towards black and Asian communities, given the terrorism threat of the latter, shows no signs of abating.

If the so called ‘gangster’ culture is so prevalent in all races then why not pull over or stop and search Asians and Caucasians more to even up the imbalance? Pressure to conform for many kids that get caught up in it is intense and virtually irreversible. Why has the cult of ‘gangster’ become so hip and popular? I retort that it is largely due to the imagery and lifestyle of many rap artists that has enveloped Britain from the US that has been glamourised by the fashion and music industry.

It is unsurprising that there is so much resistance to the authorities amongst many youngsters period, no matter what race they are, as they see themselves as being ostracised from their communities and part of the ‘street’ scene. Moreover, it is well known about what happens to suspects behind closed doors, as in former incidents that have sparked riots shall be discussed later on.

I admire the West Indian culture and have friends within it with all its excitement and laid back attitude which suits my exuberant and outgoing personality. Be under no pretences though, these people are often bubbly, generous and warm but by the same token they do not suffer fools gladly. There are many things to admire about the vibrant black culture but the ‘gangster rap’ scene seems to have negative connotations and be associated with street crime and other seedy exploits. With the stereotypical music videos displaying this genre, one could be forgiven for thinking that all black people are part of the cult, but this would be narrow-minded and cynical.

The fancy cars, baggy jeans, ‘bling’ jewellery, guns, caps, scantily clad girls and arrogant swag are all the rage in music videos. However, we should not assume that this is intrinsically negative as there is genuine musical talent out there. Indeed the playing and mixing of rap, reggae, rhythm and blues and similar music in many youth clubs has proved to be a positive draw for getting youngsters off the streets and doing something positive with their lives like learning different skills and interacting with others in team events.

To some, the spicy Caribbean food quintessential to West Indians is an acquired taste but to me always has a sweet tang. When the Government hinted it may be banning foreign foods in 2011, there was outrage from all those who may be affected and this policy seemed to be racist. At the time, athletes such as World Record 100m Holder, Usain Bolt, had something to say about the accusation that all Jamaican food was fatty and unhealthy.

Many other nations were to be affected by this policy but it was more a scaremongering tactic employed by the coalition Government that amounted to nothing. How dare the powers that be dictate what we eat as if a whole multitude of other intrusive laws is not enough! There is so much to enjoy when it comes to sampling the delights of food from around the world and after all this adds to the culture and diversity of our nation.

Every parent knows how important it is to encourage and give their child to have a balanced diet. With a child that has an appetite for rebellion and feels displaced, it seems many parents nowadays are fighting a losing battle. For those who are unfortunate enough to be raised in a broken home, it is becoming increasingly difficult for their parents to control their erroneous ways. Is it a sign of the times to rebel against your parents I wonder? In a bid for more freedom they go out of their house and join a gang because they’re bored and want street credibility and acceptance. They start at the thin end of the wedge and get involved with petty theft but soon the stakes are raised. If they are underage they know they will only get a slap on the wrist with judge’s hands being tied until they are over 16. The problem becomes more exaggerated with the peer pressure which is ratcheted up by oppressive gang leaders who see rap stars as somewhat glamourous role models.

After all, what employer is going to even consider hiring someone who has a criminal record? Moreover, anyone who does have a criminal record then becomes much more limited in terms of the jobs they can apply for, that do not include security checks. Added to this, with the Government introducing legislation to make it harder to escape penalties when claiming benefits if claimants do not appear to be diligently seeking work, what is the point in bothering? Moreover, what right does the government have to withhold personal information about us on file without our consent? With people always harping on about their rights and government transparency nowadays, it seems quite ironic that these things are concealed about us and sometimes leaked to other agencies for financial gain.

With recent talk of eradicating the Human Rights Act by the Tories, at odds with Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats policy, it has become harder for looters to appeal after being sentenced for their crimes. This law has been manipulated and capitalised upon by lawyers with its hideous use in favour of prisoners’ instead of the common sense approach it was designed for. Lawyers have been rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of defending many clients who are plainly guilty but still demanding the right to appeal, have a television in their cell and regain the right to vote.

Following the riots, a parent was put in the impossible position of choosing between shopping their child or the unsavoury prospect of losing their accommodation. Now, from a victim’s point of view, this would seem fair but in the cold light of day why should a parent be punished for their child’s sins when they cannot always keep an eye on them? What if their child goes out after them forgetting to charge their cell phone battery? Furthermore, for children who have been fortunate enough to have been raised in a stable environment, it is not inconceivable that they could be seduced into a life of gang culture.

For many kids living in cramped and sometimes unhealthy conditions because of their circumstances they feel the need to go out just to escape and find their own space. To all intents and purposes there is only so much a parent can do for their child so there is always an ‘X factor’ in terms of what they will be like when they mature taking into account their genes. Sound parents try to install the best values into their kids from a young age but for parents who have other responsibilities in work or find it hard to get around it can be difficult.

No matter what race, religion, gender, creed or background we may have, we are all responsible for making the world a better place, with whoever we meet and whatever we may do. Sadly, the country has been shamed by many youngsters involved in the disturbances in recent days, especially in the light of fast approaching 2012 Olympiad. The poor example set by thousands of youngsters on television during the riots has done nothing for Britain’s position on the world stage leaving foreigners wondering what on earth went wrong.

What is supposed to be fabulous about our country is: Freedom of speech, opportunity for all, liberation from prejudice, presumption of innocence and mutual respect. All of these old school values are continually under threat and not least down to pernicious EU regulation and a slump in family values and moral fibre. Indeed, in January 2012, this rhetoric was the essence of speech delivered by President Barack Obama at Capitol Hill. His hour long ‘State of the Union’ address had positive connotations and explored how the US was progressing towards economic recovery. By his vibrant overtones and poignant content, greeted by rapturous applause from the Senate, the man had a vision to continue to bring America out of recession and to secure future investments, employment and independence from its neighbours.

If only we could have the same energy and vision from our leaders but alas, we are stuck in frigid and ‘stiff upper lipped’ Britain with our ‘buttoned up’ culture. So much for a certain Bill Bratton coming over from the US to inject new energy and ideas into a tired police force with such stilted, twisted and backward ideology in terms of crime prevention. Then again, there is no love lost between the Home Secretary and the man who championed the cause against New York’s most violent and influential gangs in the nineties.

Clearly, when we examine the loss of values in much of Britain today, we cannot jump to conclusions without carrying out research first and then making a decision that is balanced and takes all the evidence into account. What I have ascertained are the reasons behind a shift change in Britain in recent years are summarised in the following table. They are a rough guide and should not be interpreted specifically but classed as generalisations as to why Britain finds itself in the state that it is in today sociologically, economically and politically. Also, the reasons in the table will be discussed to differing degrees in this book depending on their relevance and apparent significance.

CHAPTER ONE

RIOTS AND RACISM:

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND

FROM PAST EXPERIENCE, it is clear that our country has a history of rioting that dates back further than one would care to imagine. There will always be a section of society who seemingly have no voice and deem it right to vent their frustrations upon their own communities. Furthermore, they often, sometimes through no fault of their own, find it hard to express themselves in other forms apart from violence.

Riots in Britain date back a long way to a century before now and even beyond. Naturally, with the advent of World War Two, there was a notable absence of disturbances with the bombardment of our country by the Nazi regime. In the modern era, the longest period that our country has not seen any riots is between 1936 and 1958, both instances being in Notting Hill, North West London. With the rise of antagonism against the West Indian community, in particular during the sixties, Notting Hill was again the scene of violence in 1970 and latterly of course with the recent disturbances of 2011.

Charting back through history to the early 19th century, in 1824, a piece of legislation known as The Vagrancy Act was introduced. In crude terms this was passed through Parliament as a method of bringing those guilty of disorderly conduct into check. Such undesirable people at the time included vagabonds and rogues which were on the receiving end of the law and brought into line. This law was the embryonic phase of the modern day ideology regarding stop and search law, which became named as the ‘sus’ law in the eighties, for obvious reasons. Back in the midst of the 19th century, the Vagrancy Act was revised twice in 1838 and 1898. In more recent times it was restructured in 1966, the infamous year that England won the Soccer World Cup. By the time this third revision had arrived The Vagrancy Act had evolved into a more modern approach to policing.

By 1981, the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, who had been elected before the close of the seventies, had the misfortune to witness disturbances on her watch. Amidst all the violence and chaos, a group on Asian men in northern England known as the ‘Bradford Twelve’, were hurriedly arming themselves with petrol bombs ready for battle. They were part of a group called the ‘United Black Youth League’, intent on protecting themselves against violence from any other race.

From an African or West Indian viewpoint, their group name was woefully inaccurate and misleading, apart from being mildly insulting. After all, how can an Asian person truly describe themselves as being truly black, no matter how dark their skin colour? As we shall discover later on in this book, it has been made known how much cohesion and unity the Asian race have compared to others. They tend to keep themselves segregated off from the rest of mainstream society and that is perhaps why some pose such a grave security threat under the preaching of fundamental Islam in Britain today. That is not to say, of course, that all Asians are would be terrorists as the religion is a gentile philosophy but the race has a fanatical following with dangerous leanings against Western culture in general.

In 1981, continuing with our story, the ‘Bradford Twelve’ were arrested and later acquitted in July the same year. Back then, their actions were deemed more justifiable and supposedly carried out in self-defence. Naturally, if the same thing happened today the outcome would be rather different, especially in the wake of terrorist attacks such as 9/11 in the US and 7/7 in London. However, since the those recent attacks, the Muslim world has reacted angrily calling for less discrimination in terms of them all being treated as potential terrorists.

With regards to the recent riots, the poor owners of businesses who have suffered with criminal damage and loss of stock then anything more than reasonable force to protect themselves and their property would have most likely been deemed inappropriate under current laws. However, with many shopkeepers faced with menacing bunches of youths breaking into their store, many had decided to fight to protect their stock as well as themselves by whatever means. For many owners it has been a struggle to get back on their feet as many insurers have refused to foot the whole bill of damages combined with loss of stock, especially expensive items such as electrical goods.

As we examine the triggers and consequences for the riots, we need to look into what happened in the eighties and see what, if anything has changed. They say that hindsight is a wonderful thing but if it is not utilised and reinforced with action in the present what use is it? Clearly, there are similarities between the riots of 2011 compared to thirty years or so ago but there are also differences. Racial tension still exists today added to mass unemployment which was manifest under the Tory Government of Margaret Thatcher. However, it is obvious that there was a wider agenda for many rioters’ this time around and not just political issues.

After World War Two, immigration from Commonwealth countries from the Caribbean and Africa was on the rise. The need for the country to rebuild itself in the aftermath of a long and tiresome war was inevitable, but help was needed from overseas with the creation of more jobs.

In 1947, there was a Commonwealth Conference and the result of this was the subsequent passing of the British Nationality Act in 1948. The act meant that each Commonwealth state could legislate for its own citizenship pertaining to the UK. Indeed, other Commonwealth countries passed their own legislation as a show of unity within the Commonwealth. It is important to note that this Act was distinct from someone being a citizen of the Commonwealth and as such a ‘British subject’.

Thus, the door had been opened for many Jamaicans and Caribbean people to enter Britain for a new life and to contribute to the extensive amount of rebuilding Britain urgently needed. To this end,