London Riots: The perspective of Young Londoners, by Isabel Chapman

"There is a desperate need for societal change"

Isabel Chapman*, 22, from Brixton

*All views expressed in this article are the author's. IARS accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any views expressed in these articles and will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information or any losses or damages arising from its display or use.

"Being a relatively new resident of Lambeth I was extremely excited to be attending the Brixton Splash festival on Sunday. As we enjoyed an afternoon spent dancing on Coldharbour Lane there was an untainted, unapologetic sense of celebration.  Evening drew closer and the only sense of an alteration in mood was the sombre realisation that Monday morning was once again looming; our weekend was over and it was time for bed. I was aware, though, there would probably still be some noise and partying into the early hours; unsurprisingly Brixton is rarely the destination of choice for those in search of a quiet night’s sleep. However, when I was woken to the undisputable sound of fire engines, smashing glass, fire alarms and shouting, it was apparent the revelry had evolved into some kind of chaos. From the safety of my flat I was able to eventually get back to sleep; it was only when a frantic 6am phone call from my father unexpectedly woke me up did I arrive at the devastating conclusion that Brixton had unfortunately fallen victim to the riots.

On my way to work that morning I managed to weave my way through the police cordons towards Brixton high street, where I was met by frustrated commuters, shop owners boarding up broken windows and many confused members of the Brixton community. The emotion I experienced I can only describe as one of great sadness. To see the high street I had proudly showcased to my unconvinced parents just a few months before, destroyed; I felt pure sadness that this was the reality. Brixton will once again have to pick itself up, dust off the debris and rebuild itself. As I walked down Coldharbour Lane I could not comprehend the juxtaposition between the excitement, freedom and positive energy of the Splash compared with the boarded up shops, burnt out buildings and bemusement in peoples’ faces.

The riots in Tottenham had been sparked by the protest of the shooting of Mark Duggan. And yet there seems no doubt that the causes of Brixton’s subsequent riots were far removed from this catalyst; the high street had not been set ablaze because of an unknown North London man’s death.

It must be questioned, therefore, as many have already – why would these young people destroy their own communities? The images from the riots, particularly from Monday night, are haunting. The scorched Croydon carpet shop is no doubt a picture that will remain etched in our memories forever. The images of destruction, masked youths, police being charged at and looters smashing shop windows all represent anger, resentment, frustration and a vast number of young people who clearly feel they simply have nothing to lose.

It goes without saying that the scenes and behaviour we have witnessed - the physical, psychological and lasting damage the riots have inflicted upon hardworking, honest and innocent communities - is inexcusable, unacceptable and wrong. The riots are a deeply unsettling realisation that amplifies the scale of social, economic and fundamental challenges that are currently embedded in our society. If we are to move forward and learn from the events of the last few days we must understand the complex underlying issues our society as a whole is facing.

Even though the rioters may not consciously believe their motives were politically driven, the fact that these young individuals possess no understanding of consequential behaviour, minimal regard for public safety, and a disregard for any form of authority, collectively represents their aggression towards the Government and a total indifference for their own communities. It can be argued that for those extracted from their families at young ages, those excluded from school, and those segregated from society, followed by the stigma and difficulties faced by those young people with a criminal record, exclusion is a systematic part of their lives. It can thus be speculated that being a part of the riots is the first time in many of these young peoples’ lives that they have ever been a part of anything.

Although David Cameron’s initial reaction to the situation was to quite correctly restore order to the streets of London, unless we take the time to dissect this breakdown of communication and the perception of a generation that believe they have a right to anything they immediately desire, we are only solving the problems in the short term. Until we go back to the drawing board and seriously discuss how so many young people have fallen by the wayside, we continue to dismiss the desperate need for change. Issues surrounding parenting, our failing and exam-focused education system, the overcrowded and ineffective prison system, high youth unemployment, the judgement and perception of young British people today; are all contributing factors to a problem that presently seems too vast, too widespread and almost so enormously complicated that imagining the solution seems impossible.

As a young Londoner I have been scared, saddened, and angered by the riots. Unfortunately, however, I have not been in any way surprised that this occurred. The riots were not thought out, planned, or in any way sensible, at a time when the vast majority of much needed youth services are being cut. Many of the public will probably rejoice in the fact that funding directed towards these “feral rats” (as a shop keeper from Ealing stated) is being retracted. But until we attempt to understand and alter young peoples’ perception of their country and of themselves by providing a sense of purpose for a clearly vulnerable, frustrated and disheartened generation, by assisting and implementing them with the necessary skills sets to live honest, fulfilling lives; until we instil a sense of belonging in our society and attempt to establish how these and other young people can convey their opinions and concerns constructively – we will fail at even attempting to provoke a positive transformation for the forthcoming generations. Until we accept we have the opportunity now to evoke change by working towards an integrated, more cohesive society; there is no point rebuilding Brixton high street for it to only be burnt to the ground in the future."