Why don't they

[Allovera]

Call in the army?

[anneasquith]

i think they may be busy at the moment.

[sandyRoe]

You might get another Peterloo Massacre or Bloody Sunday.

[welshlibranr]

I think that our army are busy elsewhere!.......and if they did this it would just make it worse!..

[Allovera]

What about the reserves, where are they? Where is the homeland security?

[The-HouseHusband]

If by the reserves you mean the TA, they go through a lengthy process before being deployed and are not able to react at the drop of a hat.

As for calling in the Army have you really thought of what you are saying. Lets get the most overstretched underpaid members of the public sector and ask them to sort out more problems caused by the inept government, while the government decides how many more guys and girls are going to receive redundancy notices whilst serving in Helmland and other world hotspots!!!

[sadielady]

Think they should deploy water canons, very rarely see rioting when its pouring down!

[daisya]

Why the hell have we no water canons in this country? We need them without fail and can see why at this point in time, this country is always backward in coming forward, water canons would at least disperse the scum and if the water was full of dye then the perpertrators wouldn't be missed the next day!

[Philtaz]

As I've said elsewhere, the Met response to this has been woeful and ridiculously passive. I daresay there'd be the usual hysteria from human rights groups, lefties and the great unwashed etc but there is now a requirement for water cannon, Flying Pigs (anti riot vehicle used in Northern Ireland) and the use of rubber bullets.

The cost of theft, criminal damage and arson has by now run into millions and it needs to be dealt with in a not draconian but very firm manner.

[Philtaz]

Blimey, you know it's serious when even the Labour leader is calling for a strong Police response!

[daisya]

Totally agree with you Phil. The lawlessness is horrendous, the scum are fearless and have no respect for the police and never have.

[ummmm]

The cost of burning one shop down would run into millions alone...

[The-HouseHusband]

As has been said on more than one thread tonight, water canons are not the best way of dispersing or controlling crowds. CS Gas has a better effect on crowds and makes it easier to control due to the disabling factor, also dispersing smart water or dye from police helicopters would prove more effective than it being sprayed at ground level with the added bonus of keeping the security services out of reach of the thugs on the ground.

[sandyRoe]

The trouble with CS gas is that everybody in the locality gets a dose, not just the rioters.

[daisya]

When (if) it all calms down and the scum/yobs are taken to task, this soft country will slap their wrists and tell them not to do it again. IMO when caught and charged they should be put away for life <sharp intake of breath> and yes I mean it, someone has got to show that we are not going to tolerate this anarchy from the scum and filth who inhabit this land.

[vulcan]

During the sixties when Ban the bomb protesters were encamped at RAF and USAF stations and threatening violence, we brought out the crash tenders which were filled with foam and threatened to douse the lot of them. At that time the foam was made from ox blood and stank to high heaven and very hard to remove from clothing. When they heard this they weren't quite so keen on rioting. Something like this is the only thing these people will respond to.

[sandyRoe]

Riots speak of a deeper malaise in our society. The politicians can call the rioters whatever they like but there must be a seething resentment in parts of our society.

[Wrongn3mber]

That's a great idea vulcan42, a liquid sprayed from water cannons that stinks and cannot come out of clothes, much better then clean water on a hot evening which would probably be welcomed by many.

[sandyRoe]

I thought CND, the ban the bomb protesters, were pacifists.

[vulcan]

These riots are an excuse to stock up with TV's etc they haven't been able to afford because they don't work.

[daisya]

Sky news people have just said there are no water cannons at all here they would have to be brought from Northern Ireland, how ridiculous is that...jeez, says it all really.