Twitter, Facebook, BlackBerry Social media blamed as UK youths riot

Serious public disorder has broken out in several major cities of the United Kingdom with gangs of youths looting shops and attacking the police where they meet resistance, according to reports.

The modern tools of social networking, Facebook, Twitter and BlackBerry are being used by the young people to co-ordinate locations where they can meet, leaving the stretched UK police force scrambling to catch up.

The rioting began in the Tottenham district in the north of London on Saturday night but on Sunday night spread across the east and south of London in a series of copy-cat events as young people sought to challenge the authorities.  On Monday night violence and looting were reported in Birmingham, Bristol and Nottingham as well as London.

The spark for the initial violence was a peaceful gathering held outside a police station in Tottenham to protest at the fatal shooting of a man on Thursday. However, since then the violence and looting appear to have been opportunistic criminality amongst young people that have few opportunities for well-paid employment and who are pressured by declining welfare provision and the introduction of austerity measures.


Related links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14450248

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14454250

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14456050



Twitter, Facebook, BlackBerry Social media blamed as UK youths riot