London Bridge is Burning Down.

First Vancouver and now London, riots seem to be on the rise around the globe. Supposedly the violence initially began in London after a man, carrying a gun, was shot dead by police. I find this hard to believe though. It seems more likely that the shooting was just an excuse for opportunistic thugs to steal and burn. To the right you can see some pictures of the riots. You would think you were looking at scenes from a 3^rd world country or from a James Cameron movie.

So far in its aftermath 525 people have been arrested and more than 100 people have been charged. Rioters have attacked double-decker buses, store fronts, cars, and locals. There have also been numerous fires set throughout various neighborhoods. Due to the economy the police force has been cut down in size. The Metropolitan Police had to call in reinforcements from police forces outside London to help cope with the situation.

The BBC's live coverage reported further violence between police and groups of young people in the neighborhood of Hackney and at least five other neighborhoods. Fires have also broken out in Lewisham, Peckham, Croydon, and Clapham Junction. Shop windows have been smashed and looting has also taken place in Birmingham, Tottenham, Bristol, Nottingham, Liverpool and Leeds. "I have never seen such a disregard for human life. I hope they rot in hell," said Croydon pub landlord Alan McCabe. "The grief they have caused people, the fear they have put in people's hearts, decent people who have done nothing to anyone."

The government's emergency committee met Tuesday to discuss the spreading violence. "We will do everything necessary to restore order to Britain's streets and make them safe for the law-abiding," Cameron said, telling rioters they would "feel the full force of the law." He said more than 16,000 law enforcement officers will be visible on London streets Wednesday.