I read a book last year called Last Light by Alex Scarrow.  It’s set in the UK and depicts a scarily possible scene of fast-paced rioting across London and other city centres, although in this case due to a lack of oil and thus all power that is derived from our dependance upon this natural resource.

Despite the fact that I found the events in the novel to have been presented as a credible series of possiblities that we could one day find ourselves in, I felt it served as a warning of a hypothetical worst-case scenario that we still had plenty of time to avoid.  Today I am shocked to learn that London is in a state of utter disarray and unruliness.  In recent times the news has been plagued by chaotic events: Plumetting economies, freak weather, protesting (sometimes justifiable) and rioting.  When these events take place on the other side of the world or even in our neighbouring capitals the impact is diffused and we are thus less effected.

I find it unbelievable that predictions in works of fiction or real-life situations that we have seen on our TV sets from far-off lands which are at least usually the result of a natural disaster, war, disease or dramatic sudden change to a society’s way of life have exploded onto the streets of the UK’s capital under the pretence of acting in the name of justice.

Peaceful protest against the injustice of society, inequality and inadequacy of our government and public services is one thing.  I would not deny anyone their rights to ask for change in a civilised manner, whether I agree with their sentiments or not.  We should not forget that despite its many problems and short-comings, the UK is a democratic nation that has a long history of largely protecting the basic human rights of at least its own citizens.  We have  free access to education (albeit limited to the age of 18), health care, a benefits system, running water, uncensored media, freedom of speech, the list goes on…  A civilised nation that although is not perfect and may need change… should NEVER resort to impulsive, heedless, anarchism that risks undermining the many things that we do actually have that a HUGE percentage of the world would love to enjoy.

Of course budget cuts are infuriating and perhaps the way in which they are done is unjust, tuition fees are ridiculously high, we risk losing (or have already lost) many public services but we should remember that we are a spoilt nation which has, like many other economically developed nations, been living beyond its means for too long.

Anyway, these parsimonious little brats will not listen so I’ll leave it at that.  They are destroying their own communities, local businesses, terrorising their neighbours and generalling vadalising, stealing, and tearing up the streets of London, not because of any political reason but because they are oppurtunistic or have no respect for any kind of authority or their own families, neighbours or even themselves.
I hope that tomorrow people may have their homes left to return to and that these criminals will have got bored of their mindless destruction.