THE SACK OF LONDON 2011 AD

James Frankcom:: Amid scenes of dark age barbarity a wave of violence and mayhem swept across East London on Monday night.

What began as a violent stand off between police and rioters in Mare Street, Hackney had by the early evening descended into a frenzy of destruction that terrorised central areas of Bethnal Green and Whitechapel.

Properties badly damaged by looters included Tesco, Quick Silver and Specsavers on Bethnal Green Road as well as JD Sports, NatWest Bank and Feast & Mishti on Whitechapel Road.

Eventually it was the resoluteness of local people, some of whom had gathered outside the East London Mosque to attend evening prayers, alongside the timely presence of the police which compelled the rioters to turn away from Spitalfields and Shoreditch and crawl back to the stones they live beneath.

While the East End escaped comparatively unscathed a picture of terror and devastation was meted out on large areas of the capital. In an unparalleled orgy of violence and anger, brazen rioters savaged our noble city in a grotesque parade witnessed by terrified thousands along our streets and by stunned millions across TV screens.

As the night progressed frightened residents watched in shock as scenes played out which at times would be more familiar to fans of horror flicks such as 28 Days Later or Dawn of the Dead.

Large crowds of what can best be described as savages rampaged freely through familiar streets as a cowed police force stood aghast, broken and helpless under a night sky lit by the orange glow and spoilt by the acrid smoke of the dozens of fires that burned across the capital destroying homes, businesses and lives.

Edward Gibbon in his epic work The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire gave words to the infamous Sack of Rome, some 1,601 years ago to this very month. Of those events, which shortly preceded the final destruction of the first western civilization, he wrote;
“The Romans were unable to guard against the secret conspiracy of their slaves and domestics, who either from birth or interest were attached to the cause of the enemy. At the hour of midnight the Salarian gate was silently opened, and the inhabitants were awakened by the tremendous sound of the Gothic trumpet and the Imperial city, which had subdued and civilised so considerable a part of mankind, was delivered to the licentious fury of the tribes of Germany and Scythia” – sobering words indeed.

But who are this underclass that appear to have risen up? How can this festering wound in our society – which is still one of the most unequal societies in the world and getting worse – be healed? Such searching questions should be addressed to politicians…and in the absence of solution, only questions, I return to the streets.

Sultan, who works at Feast & Mishti on Whitechapel Road described the scene as hundreds of terrified diners who were breaking their Ramadan fast found themselves under attack,

“Suddenly at around 9pm we saw about forty to fifty young people running down the [Whitechapel Road] street, the shutters were half down but then they started attacking the windows and smashing a police van in the road.”
Iftar, who works at Bangla Grill told us, “they were breaking the glass and everything, and attacking a police van with bits of the road. The police were there with dogs but we didn’t dare go outside. We saw them run down the road towards the mosque and then heard a lot of noise.”

A spokesperson for the East London Mosque told the East London News that rioters passed the East London Mosque “on the opposite side of the road just as hundreds of worshippers were leaving after prayers and the breaking of their fasts for Ramadan.”
“Ordinary worshippers kept the rioters away until the police, who were quickly on the scene, pursued them back up Whitechapel Road”.

Their fortitude certainly saved Spitalfields and Shoreditch from damage.
It is understood that Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman was inside the mosque at the time.

At time of going to press, the government is understood to be drafting in 16,000 police officers from across the country to secure the capital on Tuesday night. Should that fail, expect the army.

As the capitalist system teeters on the brink of collapse let this not be a foretaste of things to come. Let us all hope that these measures outlined by the government prevent any further repetition of the shocking, tumultuous events which we were all reluctant witnesses to on Monday.