Archbishop of Canterbury Says Riots Will Return Unless We Reach Out to Young

THE GUARDIAN: UK must rescue those who think they have nothing to lose or face further civil unrest, says Rowan Williams

The archbishop of Canterbury has warned that England risks a repeat of the riots that spread across England this summer unless the government and civil society do more to "rescue those who think they have nothing to lose".

Warning of "more outbreaks of futile anarchy", Rowan Williams, called for a renewed effort to reach out to alienated young people during what he described as the "unavoidable austerity ahead".

In an article for the Guardian, Williams links the disorder spread [a]cross England to the "massive economic hopelessness" and the prospect of record levels of youth unemployment.

Responding to the findings of the Guardian and London School of Economics research study, based on interviews with 270 rioters, Williams argues: "It isn't surprising if we see volatile, chaotic and rootless young people letting off their frustration in the kind of destructive frenzy we witnessed in August."

An overwhelming majority of people interviewed about their involvement in this summer's riots believe they will be repeated and one in three said they would take part in any future disorder. » | Paul Lewis, James Ball and Matthew Taylor | Monday, December 05, 2011

Clashes Beween Christians and Muslims: Orgy of Violence Plunges Egypt into New Chaos

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: It was meant to be a peaceful protest, but ended in a bloodbath. At least 24 people were killed in Cairo on Sunday night during a demonstration by Coptic Christians. One army vehicle drove into the crowd and ran over protestors. Eight months after the revolution, Egypt has been shaken by the new violence.

Cairo has had a horrific night with 24 people killed and at least 174 injured in clashes between Muslims and Coptic Christians that have clouded hopes the nation will return to peace and liberty after Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February.

It started out as a peaceful demonstration. Some 10,000 Christians and Muslims had taken to the streets together to protest against recent violence against Christians in Egypt. They had planned to congregate at the state television building north of Tahrir Square but the marchers were attacked before they reached it.

"Stones were thrown at us and there were shots," said Alfred Raouf, a Coptic Christian who was among the demonstrators. "We were shocked." That was only the beginning. The situation escalated in front of the television building. It is unclear who triggered the clashes. "When we arrived, the military immediately started attacking us with tear gas and truncheons," said Beshoy Fayez, a demonstrator.

Other eyewitnesses reported that the crowd threw stones at the security forces, and that a policeman was surrounded and beaten up. "We weren't armed," said Raouf, "we were demonstrating against violence." He said violent thugs had infilitated the marchers to stir trouble. Others [sic] demonstrators agreed with Raouf. » | Viktoria Kleber in Cairo | Monday, October 10, 2011

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Six Dead as Thousands Riot in Cairo's Tahrir Square
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: At least six people were killed as fierce clashes erupted between Christians protesting over a recent attack on a church and the Egyptian military on Sunday night.

The dead included four protesters and two soldiers, state media reported, and 40 people were injured in the riots outside the state television building along the Nile in the capital Cairo.

Witnesses said some of the protesters may have snatched weapons from the soldiers and turned them on the military. The protesters also pelted the soldiers with rocks and bottles.

The clashes spread to nearby Tahrir Square and the area around it, drawing in thousands of people. At one point, a group of youths with at least one riot policeman among them dragged a protester by his legs for a long distance.

The protesters, Coptic Christians angry over a recent attack on a church, said their demonstration began as a peaceful attempt to sit in at the television building. But then, they said they came under attack by thugs in plainclothes who rained stones down on them and fired pellets.

"The protest was peaceful. We wanted to hold a sit-in, as usual," said Essam Khalili, a protester wearing a white shirt with a cross drawn on it. "Thugs attacked us and a military vehicle jumped over a sidewalk and ran over at least 10 people. I saw them." » | Sunday, October 09, 2011

AL MASRY AL YOUM: Live Updates: Death toll rises as Copts clash with military » | Sunday, October 09, 2011

THE GUARDIAN: Cairo riots claim 19 lives: Christians protesting attack on church in southern Egypt attacked by armed mobs in latest unrest to hit country » | Associated Press in Cairo | Sunday, October 09, 2011


REUTERS.COM: Twenty three killed as Egyptian Christians, police clash: Twenty three people were killed in Cairo Sunday, the health ministry said, when Christians, some carrying crosses and pictures of Jesus, clashed with military police in the latest sectarian flare-up in a country in political turmoil. » | Dina Zayed and Patrick Werr | Sunday, October 09, 2011

LE MONDE: Egypte : une manifestation de Coptes dégénère au Caire – Une manifestation de Coptes a dégénéré au Caire, dimanche 9 octobre, provoquant la mort de trois policiers selon la télévision publique, et d'au moins seize manifestants selon l'AFP. Les Coptes, qui représentent 10 % de la population égyptienne, accusent des islamistes radicaux d'avoir partiellement démoli une église dans la province d'Assouan la semaine dernière. Ils ont manifesté pourdemander le renvoi du gouverneur à qui ils reprochent de n'avoir pas su protégerleur lieu de culte. » | LEMONDE.FR avec Reuters | Dimanche 09 Octobre 2011

WELT ONLINE: Viele Tote bei heftigen Kopten-Protesten in Kairo: Tausende Christen demonstrieren in Kairo gegen die Zerstörung einer Kirche in Assuan. Bei Zusammenstößen mit Sicherheitskräften kommen mindestens 21 Menschen ums Leben. » | Autor: Maggie Michael | Sonntag 09. Oktober 2011

David Starkey, the Historian, on the English Riots on Newsnight

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: 'White chavs have become black': David Starkey TV outburst provokes race row as he claims Enoch Powell was right » | Chris Hastings | Sunday, August 14, 2011

Inside Story – London’s Burning
Just what are Londoners rioting about?

Riots Herald a 'Dark Day' in Greek History as MPs Vote Through Austerity Cuts

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A young woman staggered down the steps of Syntagma Square blinded by the acrid smoke as thick clouds of tear gas billowed across the heart of the Greek capital.

Bent double and choking, the thin surgical mask across her mouth failing to protect her lungs from the noxious fumes, she crumpled to the ground in front of the Parliament as an army of riot police closed ranks behind her.

Hooded youths, their faces hidden behind gas masks ripped what projectiles they could find from the streets to hurl at police chanting "cops, pigs, murderers!"

Police retaliated with baton charges accompanied by sporadic rounds of teargas and stun grenades releasing terrifying loud bangs - and the crowds fled, regrouping within minutes in other parts of the square.

Such scenes were repeated over and over throughout Wednesday during a second day of protests against a deeply unpopular austerity package.

The protests demonstrate a growing social unrest across all levels of society bubbling into unprecedented public anger at the politicians held responsible for bringing a nation to its knees. » | Fiona Govan, Athens | Thursday, June 30, 2011

Greek Protests Turn Violent
The streets of Athens have erupted in violence as Greece's parliament prepares to vote on a controversial austerity package.

The package involves job losses, privatisation and tax rises.

Without those measures Greece will not be given access to any more loans from the European Union or the International Monetary Fund. Opponents, however, say it that it condemns ordinary Greek citizens to years of poverty.

Al Jazeera's Barnaby Phillips reports from Athens, the Greek capital.

Riots Rage in Northern Ireland
Tensions are running high ahead of the annual marching season in Northern Ireland.

Petrol bombs, bottles and bricks have been thrown at police officers during a second night of violence.

Politicians say it's the worst violence seen in East Belfast in more than a decade.

Al Jazeera's Mariana Sanchez reports.

Warning of ‘Food Price Riots in the UK’
YAHOO! FINANCE: A senior economist at the worldwide bank HSBC (LSE: HSBA.L - news) has warned of civil unrest in Britain if food prices continue to soar.

Speaking on Jeff Randall Live, senior global economist Karen Ward cautioned that the UK could experience the kind of food riots seen in other countries.

"Even in the developed world I think we have very, very low wage growth, so people aren't getting more in their pay packet to compensate them for food and energy, and I think we could see social unrest certainly in parts of the developed world and the UK as well."

She (SNP: ^SHEY - news) went on to highlight the link between high food prices and the escalating cost of crude oil.

"More and more we are seeing that some of these foodstuffs are actually substitutes for energy itself, particularly biofuels. So I think the energy markets are a significant contributor to these food price gains."

The comments come as the United Nations warned the cost of food is now at the highest level for 21 years and set to rise further. >>> SKY NEWS | Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Fire Bomb Hits Policeman as Riots Break Out in Athens
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Youths wearing ski masks hurled rocks and fire bombs at riot police as clashes broke out in Athens during a mass rally against austerity measures, part of a general strike that crippled services and public transportation around the country. Police fired tear gas and flash grenades at protesters, blanketing parts of the city centre in choking smoke. Thousands of peaceful demonstrators ran to side streets to take cover. A police officer was attacked and his uniform caught fire in the city's main Syntagma Square, before he was rescued by colleagues. To the picture gallery >>> | Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Police Pounded by Gas Bombs in Athens
Feb 23 - A protest by tens of thousands of leftists and civil servants turned violent Wednesday as demonstrators clashed with police in the streets of central Athens. Jon Decker reports

French Police Struggle to Restore Order after Two Days of Riots in Grenoble
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Rioters in the French city of Grenoble shot at police and torched cars overnight as the authorities struggled to restore order after two days of violence.

Residents talk behind a burned off car on July 17, 2010 in a neighbourhood of southeastern French city of Grenoble, where rioters exchanged gunfire with police setting fire to shops and cars. Photo: The Sunday Telegraph
Police on Sunday arrested four men for attempted murder by shooting at officers during riots in the poor neighbourhood of La Villeneuve.

The four were seized in a dawn raid in La Villeneuve after two nights of unrest.

The riots broke out after a 27-year-old man was shot dead by police when he allegedly robbed a casino. >>> | Sunday, July 18, 2010

YNET NEWS: France: Riots over killing of Muslim man: Cars burned, police shot at after authorities kill hold-up suspect near Grenoble >>> News agencies | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Riots In Grenoble After Police Shooting
THE TELEGRAPH: Rioters in France have torched cars and opened fire on police offers [sic] during an overnight confrontation in the southeastern French city of Grenoble.

A group of people face police forces on July 17, 2010 in the neighborhood of Villeneuve in Grenoble, southeastern France. Photo: The Telegraph
The incident begun [sic] in the early hours of Saturday morning when rampaging youths stoned a tramway and attacked it with baseball bats and iron bars.

The gangs then set cars on fire and opened fire against officers. The officers returned fire.

Regional security official Brigitte Julien says no one was injured in the incident but one youth, in his twenties, was detained.

The riots came after the death of a Grenoble resident during a robbery in a nearby town.

Karim Boudouda, 27, was one of two men believed to have held up a casino, escaping with more than 20,000 euros (£17,000).

He was killed in a shoot-out with police following the robbery. Violence flared after his memorial service.

Mr Boudouda, 27, had three previous convictions for armed robbery. The other suspect escaped and is still on the run. >>> | Saturday, July 17, 2010

Thailand Extends Curfew As Hardline Protesters Fight On
THE TELEGRAPH: Thailand has imposed three more days of curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces as the military extended its operations to crush an anti-government protest movement.



One day after the army moved into the Red Shirt protestor encampment in the centre of the capital, sparking a night of violence in which 35 buildings were torched, residents of Bangkok were struggling to regain some sort of normality.

But the extension of the first curfew in 18 years was a sign that the chaos of recent months and days had not been banished by the extensive army deployment.

In announcing the curfew would stretch until Sunday, officials said rioting of the part 24 hours had been systematically planned. Col Sansern Kawekamnerd, an army spokesman, said a cache of bombs, "war ammunition" and guns including AK-47 and M-16 automatic rifles in the crackdown had been found at opposition strongholds.

"Such violence couldn't happen without systematic planning," said government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn. "The security forces will continue operations to restore order and arrest those involved in terrorism." >>> Damien McElroy in Bangkok | Thursday, May 20, 2010

Bangkok in Flames as Protesters Refuse to Back Down
THE TELEGRAPH: Bangkok is in flames as the government admits it lost control when protesters set fire to key buildings in the city following a day of running battles with troops which left 12 dead and 60 injured.

A statue of Buddha and a torn Thai national flag remain in front of Bangkok's Central World shopping mall. Photo: The Telegraph
Rioters set fires at the stock exchange, electricity headquarters, banks and government offices. Siam Theatre, a much loved city institution, collapsed in flames. Hundreds of people had to be rescued from the burning headquarters of Channel 3 television. The death toll since fresh outbreaks of violence on Thursday now stands at 51.

The government issued "shoot on site" orders for a dawn raid as troops tried to disperse 2,000 Red Shirts who had been camped in Rajprasong, the capital's premier shopping and office district, for more than six weeks.

Seven of the Red Shirt leaders surrendered to police but militant gangs waged an arson and looting spree. The vast Central World shopping centre was torched as government troops shot to kill in a last ditch effort to defend it.

When the army finally marched cautiously into the protesters' former stronghold they discovered that the 2,000 strong crowd had dwindled to one woman.

Kuesadee Narukan, an elderly nurse, stood holding a red flag in the deserted arena. The sound system remained on and rice was cooking on the boilers. "I am not afraid. I am ready for my punishment," she said. "I am a fighter for democracy. >>> Damien McElroy and Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Related articles and videos here

Bangkok's Savage Conflict May Be A Mere Dress Rehearsal
THE TELEGRAPH: Thailand is torn between two rival camps, best characterised as competing patronage networks.

Since March 12, tens of thousands of red-shirted demonstrators have occupied central areas of Bangkok, demanding the resignation of the Oxford-educated prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and the dissolution of parliament. The violence peaked on April 10 – when more than 20 people were killed – and has flared up again, as the military have tried to clear out the Redshirts' encampment.

At times, the security forces have fought pitched battles with protesters. The fatalities have included a Japanese cameraman, and several foreigners have been injured, including a Canadian journalist. In recent days, snipers have been shooting people from high buildings.

This has been portrayed as a struggle between poor farmers from the countryside and an undemocratic Bangkok elite. Yet despite the sympathetic coverage for the Redshirts in much of the international media, this is not a classic "pro-democracy" struggle between good guys and bad guys. It is a savage and dispiriting civil conflict, from which nobody emerges with much credit. Read on and comment >>> Duncan McCargo | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Protesters Set Fire to Thai Stock Exchange: Leaders Surrender But Some Protesters Flee, Set Fires Around City
Hardliners set the Thai stock exchange building in Bangkok on fire even though leaders of the mainstream "Red Shirt" protesters surrendered to the army. Photo: The Wall Street Journal
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: BANGKOK—Hard-line Thai protesters set fire Wednesday to the country's stock exchange, shopping malls and a television station, while Thai authorities called an 8 p.m. curfew, casting doubt on the prospects for a resolution to the country's weeks-long political crisis despite the surrender of protest leaders earlier in the day.

Thai Red Shirt protest leaders called off their marathon rally and surrendered to police Wednesday after an early morning army assault on their heavily fortified camp in the center of Bangkok.

But in the midafternoon, smoke could be seen billowing from the Stock Exchange of Thailand's headquarters as helicopters buzzed in the sky above. Though trading has been taking place at a different, undisclosed location in recent days, stock-exchange officials said markets would be closed Thursday. Earlier in the day, Thailand's benchmark index finished up 0.7% on hopes for a quick resolution. Authorities also said commercial banks around the country would be closed Thursday and Friday.

Thick plumes of smoke rose across other locations in the city as militant protesters targeted some of Bangkok's main commercial centers. In other parts of Thailand, local television broadcast pictures of antigovernment demonstrators setting alight a provincial government building in northeastern Khon Kaen. >>> James Hookway | Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Thai Army Busts Through Fortification


More Protests and a Nude Rally in Bangkok

Thailand's Red Shirts Bring Anarchy to Bangkok
THE TELEGRAPH: Thailand's anti-government protesters brought anarchy to a swath of Bangkok last night in defiance of a government deadline to disband mass demonstrations at the heart of the capital.

Mobs set fire to office towers and expensive blocks of flats across a three-mile zone of chaos in one of south-east Asia's richest cities.

Army reinforcements established road blocks and checkpoints but failed to deter the spread of the Red Shirt movement, which is loyal to exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra.

An afternoon deadline for the clearance of Ratchaprasong, the main demonstration site, passed with a 5,000 strong crowd defying a warning that it was "no longer safe".

The deadline, set by Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand's Eton-educated prime minister, was dropped after encountering the opposition of the country's military high command. >>> Damien McElroy and Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok | Monday, May 17, 2010

Thai Unrest Threatens to Spread
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Leadership rejects protesters’ call for UN mediation

BANGKOK — Antigovernment unrest boiling over in downtown Bangkok spread to other areas of the capital and Thailand as the military defended its use of force in a crackdown that has left 36 people dead in four days. Thai leaders flatly rejected protesters’ demands that the United Nations intercede to end the chaos.

Rapid gunfire and explosions echoed before dawn today outside the luxury hotels bordering the barricaded protest zone, where the military has attempted to seal in thousands of demonstrators camping in the downtown streets. Guests at the upscale Dusit Thani hotel were rushed to the basement for safety.

Yesterday, plumes of black smoke hung over city streets where protesters set fire to tires, fired homemade rockets, and threw gasoline bombs at soldiers who used rubber bullets and live ammunition to pick off rioters who approached their lines. Army sharpshooters crouched behind sandbags and fired to keep attackers at bay.

Leaders of the protesters, who have dubbed themselves Red Shirts, said they wanted talks mediated by the UN, provided the government agreed to an immediate cease-fire and pulled its troops back. >>> Chriss Blake | Monday, May 17, 2010

Twenty-two Killed in Bangkok's Bloody Street Battles
Thai soldiers open fire as they clash with Red Shirt anti-government protesters in Bangkok. Photograph: Times Online
TIMES ONLINE: Thai troops have opened fire on anti-government protesters and more than 20 are dead after a a third day of bloody clashes on the streets of Bangkok.

The army offensive against the thousands of Red Shirt demonstrators occupying a sprawling encampment in the city’s commercial district escalated on Saturday.

Soldiers started moving in on Thursday but their attempts to disperse the camp have been met with fierce resistance, resulting in increasingly bloody street battles.

Crowds of protesters hurled homemade rockets, petrol bombs and burning tires at the advancing troops, who returned fire with live rounds of ammunition.

An estimated 22 people, all civilians, have been killed in the last three days and at least 161 injured.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva spoke on national TV, on Saturday afternoon, promising to restore order to the city with “minimum loss of life”.

However he stood by the military action and claimed that the protesters, who are calling for him to resign, had been infiltrated by “terrorists”.

Abhisit said: “The government must move forward. We cannot retreat because we are doing things that will benefit the entire country. >>> Robin Henry | Sunday, May 16, 2010

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Greece Paralyzed by Protests, Passes Austerity Bill

RUSSIA TODAY: Greece paralyzed by protests, passes austerity bill: On Thursday afternoon the Greek parliament passed a package of strong anti-crisis measures in exchange for vast financial aid from EU countries. >>> | Published Thursday, May 06, 2010; Edited Friday, May 07, 2010

Riots Up Front and Personal