Are Rioting youths anything new?

[Gromit]

// The Bullingdon Club was founded in the 19th century as a hunting and cricket club, but is now devoted to drink and dining. Membership is by invitation only and normally limited to alumni of leading public schools. New recruits are secretly elected before being informed of their good fortune by having their college bedroom invaded by way of a window and methodically "trashed".

The club's notorious dinners typically involve members booking a private dining room (under an assumed name) and drinking themselves silly before destroying it elaborately. They wear royal blue tailcoats with ivory lapels, and - having made merry - pride themselves in politely paying the restaurant's owners compensation in high-denomination banknotes. One former Bullingdon member, the journalist Harry Mount, has recalled "being rolled down a hill by a Hungarian count". Boris Johnson once admitted to "dark deeds involving plastic cones and letterboxes".

Yet the "high jinks" that took place on the night the photo was taken (at Canterbury Quad, Christchurch) are up there with the best of them. At some point after the dinner, the group walked through Oxford when one (thought to be Fergusson, though exact recollections differ) threw a plant pot through the window of a restaurant.

The burglar alarm was activated and police descended with sniffer dogs. Six of the group were collared and spent the night at Cowley police station before being released without charge.

"David Cameron was one of the four people who escaped," a witness says. "If it wasn't for his foresight, he'd have spent a night in the clink. //

http://www.independen...ass-of-87-436192.html

But everyone deserves a second chance, don't they?

[Sqad]

So are you comparing the "students" pranks, with the recent rioting and looting?

"Daddy" may have worked bloody hard for his cash.

[Old_Geezer]

Hardly a riot, but yes, youths can act daft, and it has probably been the case down the years.

[R1Geezer]

You're only miffed because you didn't get in Gromit!

[Quizmonster]

Only if you think stockBROKING is hard work, Sqad. The Camerons haven't been short of a bob or two for some five generations, though I do believe he is from Scottish crofting stock further back. In a sense, therefore, I guess it started with stockBREEDING!

[Sqad]

Quizmonster....Yes I do....hard work doesn't need to be physical .

Some MAY have money handed down from generations, but a lot work hard for the gains.

It is always easy to look at financially successful people and ignore the effort that it involved and also the gambles taken.

[sandyRoe]

But if the law is 'bent' to accommodate the children of the rich how can the rest of us have any respect for it?

[emmie]

they didn't torch peoples homes, businesses, nor indeed caused the death of anyone, no matter the sillyness of their actions, you just like having a go at the PM.

[sandyRoe]

Apparently they trashed restaurants but then in the morning when sober paid for the damage. They've got away with criminal damage.
If the law isn't applied evenly then it won't be respected.

[237SJ]

No, rioting youths are nothing new. There were plenty of student riots in the sixties. There have been plenty of riots overseas too - remember Sydney?
These riots took the whole concept to a new level though. Apart from the fundamental reasons why they rioted (social disaffection, lack of discipline etc) they have social media now that can whip people into a mob mentality and the riots spread in a way they never have before (apart from LA maybe). That`s why I think it could happen again, God forbid.

[Brenden]

I cannot see the rioters paying for the damage sandyRoe.

[emmie]

then should have been up in court.

[Sqad]

sandy........we haven't got the details of the incident, just assumptions.

The law isn't bent as you put it, the law is STATIC......it is interpretation and presentation of that law that you may well be complaining about.

[tommy-h]

I really dont know where I sit on this fence.Offenders whomsoever they may be should be prosecuted but there has to be a distinction between high school pranks and rioting

[237SJ]

Well, there wasn`t any favourtism for Charlie Gilmour so I reserve judgement on that one.

[sandyRoe]

Brendan, the Burlington Club Hooray Henrys bought themselves out of trouble. Most rioters couldn't afford to do that.
I'm saying it's wrong that the children of the rich can behave like the worst chavs and walk away while for the same actions chavs would be enjoying a spell as a guest of Her Majesty

[Sqad]

Steve....my response was not to you, but to the OP.

Sorry if I confused you.

[piggynose]

one law for the rich and all that :(

[sandyRoe]

And BOJO using a plastic cone to p 1ss through someones letterbox. Disgusting, absolutely disgusting!