London Is Burning (The Summer 2011 Riots)

Firefighters battling a blaze in England, where buildings have been set on fire by rioters

The riots that have taken a hold of London, England and now northern city, Manchester, England, have gone on for four nights in a row. The trouble began when a senior police official refused to speak to a community activist and the family of a slain man, Mark Duggan, who was killed in a taxi cab by an officer. What began as a peaceful protest in Tottenham, East London, turned into full on riots, where buildings were looted and set on fire. Vehicles were also torched.

Firefighters fighting the blaze as police stand by

The police are going to have to work on how they interact with the populace, especially young Britons, who feel they are being targeted. Regrettably, with the police's credibility with the public at an all time low, thanks to revelations in the News International/News Corp phone hacking scandal, tensions have boiled over, as the average citizen, once again, especially young males, believe they are not being treated fairly.

Police officers standing in front of blazing buildings

Many young and old people are out of work, due to the global economic downturn, which began in America. The British economy has begun to show growth, on its way to a recovery. Due to university cuts, some that wish to go to school, can't afford to do so.

Londoners look on at a building in Tottenham that was set ablaze the previous night

Cuts are quite necessary, because in all nations, there will be abuses, but the poor and middle class must always be protected, as the most vulnerable in society, when it comes to finances. By all means, pay one's taxes, but the government should also do its part to ensure Britons have every opportunity available to them. More compromises need to be struck regarding university tuition.

Mark Duggan

All and all, the British government does do a lot for its citizens and should be commended for that. Over the years, I've been quite impressed at what I have witnessed. However, there are a few areas that need to be reassessed, such as police issues. Community cooperation is also needed, between the public and the police, if these very serious issues are to be properly resolved.