Another "How stupid can you be?" moment:
BTW, I used to know someone that lived in the flat on Lavendar Hill in Clapham that was burnt out. I only got a quick glimpse of it on the news, was it to the right of the party shop? The burnt flat might have been to the left of the party shop in which case I knew someone who lived a few doors down the road - kind of brings the situation home for me. I hope she doesn't still live there!
I LOVED the people of Clapham cheering the police afterwards and the older woman in Camden/Clapham standing on the street shouting at the rioters and waving her walking stick, proper British spirit! My boss got covered with "stuff" from the bus that got attacked at the 7/7 bombings and still went in to the office and did a days work - I bet none of these kids have any of the "get on with it no matter what" type attitude that makes me proud to work in London.
Luckily I haven't had to go to work for late shifts the last few days as I've been on nights (from home)... although I did wonder who had died when I had 700 missed calls from relatives checking I was OK last night.