USA TODAY: London Paralyzed By Fear, Shock As Businesses Smolder. “Graham Reeves, 52, stood dumbstruck in front of the smoldering ruins of his family store, the House of Reeves on Croydon in south London. The store is a local landmark that had been run by his family for decades — he said his 80-year-old father was hysterical upon hearing the news. ‘No one’s stolen anything,’ Graham Reeves said. ‘They just burnt it down.'”
UPDATE: Reader Jay Brinker emails from London: “In London, staying next to Scotland Yard HQ and 4 blocks from Parliament. Picture is of pub that was packed on Sunday. It and other restaurants in area are closed this evening due to riot fears. Each street corner seems to have 3 officers. Heard that 16,000 officers are on duty tonight up from usual 3,000. Watching riot footage of burning and looting of stores, and hearing reports of police inability to respond, I can only think how a few gun toting shop keepers could have quelched most of the problem. Instead, the government thinks that the use of rubber bullets is a drastic measure.”
ANOTHER UPDATE: Jim Treacher: “Give a man a fish, and he’ll riot for free fish.”
Plus this: “New events have just been announced for the 2012 London Olympics: the Molotov throw, synchronized looting, and the 400-metre dash for your life.”
Related: “Class warfare has consequences.”