Posted on 08/09/2011 11:00:03 AM PDT by markomalley
Shops and homes in an upmarket area of south London were protected from rioters by a human barricade as residents and workers across the capital were forced to defend themselves.
Locals in Clapham Junction, Dalston and Whitechapel took to the streets and faced down the mob on Monday night after realising that police were too over-stretched to help.
In south London, officers were nowhere to be seen as shopfronts were smashed in St Johns Road, Clapham Junction.
But the gangs of youths were prevented from carrying on their rampage south into Northcote Road, site of restaurants - specialist food stores and boutiques - by locals who guarded the top of the street from a branch of Nandos to the Northcote pub.
A core of 20 people gathered at the junction, with up to 50 at some points, from just after 9pm until close to 11pm.
John Comyn, who has lived in the area all his life, said: Most people I spoke to were local and couldn't believe what was happening. No one wanted to venture down St John's Road but we weren't going to let them ruin our street.
From then on, when anyone came towards us we told them to go back, there wasn't anything for them down here. It was fairly spontaneous but the group formed a line across the end of the road.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
That is pretty cool!
A little metal “trim” in the form of rows of metal pyramids around the bat, would go a long way toward enhancing both its appearance and utility...
Very convenient when defending yourself against a person armed with a raspberry.
Too bad there aren’t lots of archery fans in the UK. A few arrows into a rioting crowd would do wonders. No muzzle flash or bang to give away your position. From a window in a darkened room at night, it would be hard to tell exactly where the arrow came from...
Yes, since the police were telling them to not bring their weapons out in the street, but they were allowed to defend themselves inside their premises.
I noticed that too. “had it out” hmmmm.....
I have several gardening tools in my garage that would make dandy weapons for close-in self defense.
Firearms are better, of course.
She’s a southpaw.
I keep a nice piece of pipe in the car and truck for “checking the tires”.
Proper heft and balance are important to check the tires correctly.
LOL!!! We have a Mossberg 500 tactical. There is nothing to compete with the sound of racking that thing.
What about pointy sticks?
Not just the Turks. I have several young (mid to late 20's) friends in London, all with jobs. The are wielding cricket bats and pipes against the anarchists. As one said "It's been quite the ruckus". The a@@holes in the masks apparently didn't expect a bunch of REAL Brits on the streets tonight.
Shooting through a window, I think a crossbow would be a lot easier to use. But I suspect they’re just as illegal in UK as any other effective weapon.
Those residents better be careful not to hurt any of those rioters because English law protects the criminal elements of their society.
One of most deadly weapons of the Middle Ages, the Bill, was also used for pruning trees...
It’s essentially a short sword blade on the end of the pole...
Another use for duct tape!
OOPS
Meant to post companion link:
“The unknown blogger added: The kitchen staff at the Ledbury went beyond their call of duty by rushing up from the kitchen with rolling pins, fry baskets, and other dangerous kitchen tools and scared off the looters.”
Crossbows are 100% legal here
Incorrect. Crossbows are not illegal to own in the UK. My family and I own a variety of bows and crossbows.
Really, I’m quite surprised.
A few crossbow snipers on the roofs could really freak out a mob, I would think.
Anyway, thanks for the correction. I hope you’ll pardon me for pointing out that any government that allows crossbows but outlaws scary looking knives is a little weird, IMO.
Although it’s also fair to point out that any equivalent level of rioting in the US would have had dozens if not hundreds of fatalities to date, while that in the UK had had one.
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