British Riots Spread Across The Country

British riots have intensified, creating a situation that security forces have struggled to control, that has left businesses unable to trade, people homeless and that has caused immense damage in many locations.

Initially, the blazing, violent protests were confined to the UK's capital city, London, but they've now rippled outwards to other major cities including Bristol, Nottingham, Birmingham and Liverpool, as well as multiple London suburbs. They began in response to the shooting, by Metropolitan Police, of a civilian, but have now expanded on a huge scale.

To date, well over 400 arrests have taken place, with thousands of police officers deployed just to try and sort out the London riots.

The first British riots were recorded on 6 August and, since then, they've intensified and disturbed the security of many areas.

‘Recreational violence' and ‘opportunistic criminality' are just two of the phrases that have been used to described just exactly what's happened, with youths looting shops and intimidating local communities.

The Metropolitan Police has reported having received over 20,000 public calls during one 24 hour period - close to a 400 per cent increase on usual figures. Shops and homes have been destroyed - potentially causing millions of pounds worth of damage - and images of buildings in flames are starting to become symbolic of these British riots.

In all, the riots have showcased a more unsettled Britain than has been seen for very many years.

Early on 9 August, British Prime Minister David Cameron chaired an emergency meeting of the COBRA crisis response committee and, mid-morning, made an official statement on the riots spreading across Britain. "We will do everything necessary to restore order to Britain's streets", he stressed. "These are sickening scenes, scenes of people looting, vandalising, thieving, robbing...attacking police officers. It has to be confronted and defeated.

"People should be in no doubt that we are on the side of the law-abiding."

"As ever, police officers have shown incredible bravery...but it's clear that we need much more police on our streets. There'll be some 16,000 officers on the streets tonight."

"There have already been 450 people arrested...people should expect to see many more arrests in the days to come."

In a message to those responsible, Cameron stated: "you will feel the force of the law and if you are old enough to commit these crimes..you are old enough to face the punishments."

The riots have highlighted both positive and negative aspects of modern social media platforms. It's been suggested that Twitter and other websites have been used by those involved in the riots to coordinate their movements while, on the other hand, civilians have been using the same sources to offer to help put right the damage and devastation that's already been caused.

The Met Police have also urged members of the public, who may have captured images of those taking part in the riots, to submit them for ID purposes, while they're now studying thousands of hours worth of CCTV footage.

Elsewhere, event cancellations have started to be imposed - what would have been a friendly match between the English and Dutch national teams at Wembley Stadium, on 10 August, will now not take place.

Security Technology will present further coverage of the British riots in future News Items.

Image copyright hozinja (Eric Hossinger) – Courtesy Wikimedia Commons

View the original article here

British Judge Grants Bail To WikiLeaks Founder Assange

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is seen through the heavily tinted windows of a police vehicle as he arrives at Westminster magistrates court in London on December 14.

Julian Assange, the controversial founder of the WikiLeaks whistle-blower website, has been ordered freed from a London jail on bail with strict conditions.

But he remained in custody after Swedish authorities filed an appeal against the decision and were said to be pressing the British court to extradite Assange to Sweden.

Authorities said London's High Court would hear that appeal on December 16.

On December 14, Judge Howard Riddle granted Assange bail in the amount of about $315,000, with an additional guarantee of $63,000.

Under the conditions of the bail deal, Assange must wear an electronic tag, live at a registered address, report to the police every evening, and observe two four-hour curfews each day.

Assange had been denied a request for bail last week amid fears that he would try to flee the country. In reversing that decision, the judge also ordered that Assange's passport remain with the police.

One of Assange's lawyers, Mark Stephens, told reporters after the bail hearing that his client would follow the "difficult" conditions of his bail.

"Any reasonable person who was sitting in the court today will understand that the onerous conditions that have been placed on Mr. Assange's freedom today are the sorts of conditions that are going to be difficult enough to abide by and there is absolutely no fear that he will not abide by those conditions," Stephens said.

Stephens also said that Assange's release would be delayed until his supporters, including a number of high-profile celebrities and activists, could present the bail money to the court in cash.

Cash payment was required by the judge in place of a mere pledge to meet the bail payment, which is usually permissible.

Stephens also said the case against Assange was turning into a "show trial."

'For Press Freedom'

The 39-year-old Australian turned himself in to authorities on December 7 in connection with an arrest warrant issued by Sweden, where he is wanted for alleged sex crimes. He denies the charges, and his lawyer has said the case has "political" motivations.

An Australian newspaper, the "Sunshine Coast News," reported that Assange's mother had flown into London to be with her son.

The newspaper said that in speaking to his mother by phone, Assange said: "My convictions are unfaltering. I remain true to the ideals I have always expressed. These circumstances shall not shake them."

Another Assange lawyer, high-profile human rights advocate Geoffrey Robertson, said Vaughn Smith, the manager of London's Frontline Club for journalists, had offered to let Assange stay at his country estate in southern England.

Smith said his interest in helping Assange was tied to his belief in a free press.

"I think as journalists we should be very concerned about the possibility of legislation that will, perhaps, restrict our freedoms to operate as journalists," Smith said.

"I think Mr. Assange has put up a very large mirror in front of journalists and many journalists I speak to are very concerned by the reflection they see in an industry or trade that is, perhaps, looking more close to power than a lot of us would like to become."

U.S. Mulls Charges

The WikiLeaks founder, who has caused an international diplomatic stir for leaking hundreds of thousands of classified U.S. cables on everything from the war in Afghanistan to Russia's leadership, has held for a week in London's Wandsworth prison.

The U.S. Justice Department has been looking into a range of criminal charges that could be filed in the WikiLeaks case, but has denied accusations by Assange's lawyers that the Swedish warrant was issued under U.S. pressure.

Officials from the United States, Britain, and other countries have accused WikiLeaks of endangering the security of troops and government officials as well as national security.

In recent weeks, a string of U.S.-based companies -- including the credit-card companies Visa and MasterCard, as well as Amazon.com, and PayPal -- cut ties to WikiLeaks amid intense U.S. government pressure.

The Swiss post office banking service, PostFinance, said last week that its website was suffering denial of service attacks since it closed Assange's bank account.

compiled from agency reports

View the original article here