1716: Hello and welcome to our rolling news coverage of the London riots.

I know this sounds draconian, but it's reached the stage where the army are needed to bring it back under control.

These riots remind me of the Watts riots and the riots in Detroit, Michigan. I feel real sorry for the shopkeepers who have lost everything. The army must be called out and declare martial law. Anyone looting or burning will be shot. That's it.

This was all being discussed - quite intelligently - on a radio phone-in while I was having my hair cut yesterday (I had pledged not to have a hair cut until David Cameron came back from Tuscany). A right-wing politician was calling for the army to be brought in (he also agreed with a young woman that there were social causes which needed to be addressed, including family issues and poverty, which in reality are interconnected). Someone said, "OK - you bring the army in. What do they do? They're not going to shoot people.". The politician himself made the point that water-cannon are fine for dispersing large crowds but no good against small, highly mobile gangs moving in and out of side streets. Today my paper headlines a new, tougher police approach. Let's see.

I believe the army in Northern Ireland used to use rubber bullets on mobs there. I don't see why this couldn't be done in this case. It would certainly discourage attacks on the riot squads. Horses were also good at breaking mobs up, does the British Police force still have a mounted division?

Apparently the cricket is going ahead at Edgbaston today.

Whew! And I thought that all this rioting was going to have serious repercussions.

Thank goodness for that-all's well with the (sur)real world.
I shall be watching it in my safe leafy village.
BTW those seen with the bling are probably those involved in the drug-dealing gangs who are also leading this violence.
What really annoys me is those who blame the police, possibly the higher ranks may hold some blame but the poor bloody PC just does what he's told and tries to stay alive knowing that the rioters hate his guts and would willingly seriously injure or kill him/her if they could. If he arrests a rioter then he hads to pace them and go through the whole PACE rights issue taking him off the street for some time!

Just seen on TV footage FOOTLOCKER store (Designer shoes & Trainers) completely destroyed after being totally stripped of goods . 2 stores away WATERSTONES store (Books) completely intact and untouched.
Does that speak volumes of these Morons ? (no pun intended)

Most of them interviewed on TV so far have difficulty doing "Joined-Up Speaking" let alone reading or writing.

Youngest in court today was 11 years old!

How does that song go??? " I believe that children are our future"

I am afraid we have an "Xfactor, Instant Celebrity, I want it all, and I want it now, generation of spoiled hooligans out there, and it ain't gonna get better overnight. Just hope I live long enough to be a burden on them!!!

Mind you, Waterstones is pretty crap these days. They bought up Ottakars and the reduced competition had predictable results. Maybe these looters are discerning customers. Wait to hear that Waterstones has been untouched but Foyle's has been stripped...

Surely Foyles is only for those that like the camaradarie of a long queue followed by another long queue? Waterstones only employ people that hate books and customers in equal measure! Just as well people my age don't loot or we would clean out the bookshops!

As for the eleven year old in court I hope the parents are in the dock with him or her. How can you let an eleven year old wander around at night anyway or did he only riot until early evening? Very sad because it makes you realise the future may be very difficult. Someone has started an epetition to stop rioters benefits I think stopping them breeding may be more productive!

The view from London via Washington DC from Johnathan Freedland of the Guardian.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-isnt-behind-the-london-riots/2011/08/10/g IQAnBGg8I_story.html