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Riots in the UK - your reaction.

Africa HYS team|11:36 UK time, Tuesday, 9 August 2011

The British Parliament is recalled after "sickening" rioting in London and other cities, PM David Cameron says, as he pledges 16,000 officers on the streets tonight. Have the riots in the UK changed your view of Britain?

A man clears up after the looting of a supermarket in London (Reuters)

Clean-up operations are underway in parts of London, and other cities which have also experienced violence and looting.

An extra 1,700 police officers were deployed in London, where shops were looted and buildings were set alight.

The prime minister has returned early from his holiday to discuss the unrest, which first flared on Saturday after a peaceful protest in Tottenham over the fatal shooting of a man by police.

At least 400 people have been arrested and more than 69 people have been charged with various offences.

How is the African community coping with the riots in the UK? How damaging has this been for the UK's image abroad? Does this affect your confidence in London staging a successful Olympic Games in 2012? 

If you would like to debate this topic LIVE on air on Tuesday 9 August at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published.

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    The police are sadly incapable of defending the public, or themselves. Okay, so we are stupidly proud have the only unarmed police force in the world, but where are the water cannons, where is the tear gas?? Most pointedly, where are the Black and Tans when we really need them??

  • Comment number 2.

    Grab a broom and sweep the scum out of the cities...

  • Comment number 3.

    WHY are they rioting? It cannot be just a "criminal act". What has gone wrong? No jobs, no money, no housing, no future? When are we going to hear these issues explored instead of "mindless criminal acts" being reported? I don't credit my country for being the most intelligent in the world, but these acts are neither mindless nor meaningless, even if (in order to get attention) they are criminal.

  • Comment number 4.

    Sitting here in Nairobi, I remember what we went through in January 2008. All the violence and lawlessness should lead us to one of two conclusions - either the current system of running economic affairs in the world has reached it's limit OR we have raised a generation of louts who have no sense of responsibility. Probably a mixture of both.

  • Comment number 5.

    With freedom comes responsibility. If people can't show a degree of responsibility then they need their freedom removed. Deport them to Iran or Zimbabwe.

  • Comment number 6.

    violence is not the right way.you should avoid it currently

  • Comment number 7.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 8.

    Images in
    Thirsty eyes
    Hynotized
    Youth gone tired
    What's a bread line?
    Got no phone
    So guess what?
    No dating!
    They telling me
    I need this I need that
    Black B. this Black B. that
    Is'nt hard just being Blk?
    i this i that
    Then Black Be Black that
    Get rid of them phones
    Give all of our lives back

  • Comment number 9.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 10.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 11.

    The unjustifiable lootings, arsons and lawlessness, coupled with seeming inability of parents to contol their kids, is an indication of lack of discipline and barriers among our youths in the UK. Further, it has also exposed the animal in man. It does not
    matter, whether you are African, europian, American or Asian.



    The

    the

  • Comment number 12.

    Lord Beveridge said in his report(The Birth of NHS 1948)'If you dont look after the poor there will be revolution.

  • Comment number 13.

    The British are people that knows the value of human life,police shot one person
    and there is chaos all over Britain,come to Africa and see where police kill innocent
    citizens at random and nothing will happen.

  • Comment number 14.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 15.

    I fully support the right to peaceful assemble and i reject all forms of violent protest because what ever we do as humans, the ends justify the means. What happen in London and other cities is shameful and those responsibily must be brought to justice. Looting and mugging has no place in modern soceity, its pure greed and laziness.

  • Comment number 16.

    I hear mr Cameron say " sick Society" Sir, so long as the "sick" have doctors of your ilk, they won't get better. Frankly what we witnessed last week is just a reflective mirror of what the big boys do. You terrorise by airoplane and by your pen, they do it by their fist. Let us get off from our high horse and look in the mirror first.

  • Comment number 17.

    It's almost seems that they are crying out for guidance and to be taught how to achieve a sense of worth. Discipline seems to be a word of the past. These youths want respect well respect is earnt not giving at birth. Respect others and other's belongs and be a good person then respect is given. Smash up your community and steal then you deserve NO respect, just punishment.

  • Comment number 18.

    Disagree's with any War and losing young soliders. However, feels that maybe the answer for our lost youths could be National Services ( a modern day service, A community service, an apprenticeship, whilst being homed in barracks, feed and looked after and taught self discipline) for 18-21 unemployed male and female, (if unable to find work after 2 years of leaving school at 16)

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