[Derek]

A selection of updates from http://inspectorgadget.wordpress.com/

London fire fighter pulled off her motorcycle, punched in the face and threatened with a gun in Clapham last night on her way in. London Fire Brigade recieved 2,200 ’999′ calls, 15 times their usual demand.

The arson damage is quite unlike anything I have ever seen, even in Belfast in the bad old days. It is important that this is not under-reported, the scenes of damage are quite extraordinary.

I have spoken to many law-abiding members of the public. Feelings are running very high against local youths. People are displaying hatred and frustration, flavoured by a fair amount of racism.

We have heard about the armoured vehicles in Clapham, which cleared the street in minutes. We want to carry out a baton charge at a line of angry youths who are setting fire to a huge wheelie bin in the doorway of a post office, but we are told to ‘hold the line’.

At the briefing, many of my officers wanted cast-iron guarantees from Silver Command that no individual officers would be suspended and prosecuted if we use force and a rioter became seriously injured.

This was not forthcoming. There are at least 12 County forces here now, ‘Remember Tomlinson’ was being whispered everywhere at the FCP.

The scenes in front of us give a physical proof of everything we have ever said on this Blog about lack of consequences, weak criminal justice systems, nonsensical diversity policies which give ‘victim status’ to the mob and silly, target obsessed politically driven ACPO leadership. I never thought I’d see the results of all that actually burned on to the streets in front of me.

My final comment for the moment at 06:48 Hrs is that whatever you have seen on the TV, the reality is much, much worse.

Huge respect to the Fire Service and Ambulance Service. We also have over 300 bodies in custody; no chance of that number going to prison, we don’t have the space any more

Good point. With the numbers involved, even if only 1/4 are identified and prosecuted where are they going to find a couple of hundred prison places?