British Cities: A Growing Hostility Towards the Law-Abiding and Decent Citizens

[Social Media]

 

British cities, once known for their sense of community and civic decency, are increasingly becoming hostile environments for law-abiding citizens. The encroachment of criminality and thuggery is not just a perceived threat but a stark reality, as demonstrated by personal experiences and broader societal trends.

 

A recent personal incident in North-West London starkly illustrates this shift. After a routine visit to Waitrose for some supplies, I found myself juggling items in my handbag due to the supermarket's new policy of only offering "bags for life." My phone, wedged between a pack of blueberries and some Cornish Quartz cheddar, fell out unnoticed as I was returning home. Within 25 minutes, my tracking service showed that the phone had traveled several miles to central London, confirming it had been stolen almost immediately after it fell.

 

This isn't an isolated incident but a reflection of the broader decline in social trust and civic decency in London and other major British cities. My parents moved out of London in the early 1980s due to frequent burglaries and thuggery. However, the current environment feels markedly worse, with a near-total breakdown in social trust. Despite the persistence of good Samaritans—those who offer seats to the elderly, assist the blind, or help carry heavy bags—there is a growing sense that these decent individuals are fighting a losing battle. The fear of intervening in criminal acts is justified. Sadiq Khan's London, for example, feels increasingly anarchic and dirty, with the risks of being a good citizen becoming more apparent.

 

The reluctance to intervene is not unfounded. It’s not just that criminals are becoming bolder; it’s also the apparent apathy of the police towards crimes like theft, shoplifting, and burglaries. This neglect is coupled with shocking stories of what can happen to those who dare to confront wrongdoing. Earlier this month, 19-year-old Tieran Carmody was convicted of stabbing 35-year-old father Max Richardson to death. Richardson, along with his neighbors, had merely asked Carmody to stop loitering with a cannabis joint near a children's play area in Harlow.

 

Such violent encounters are becoming alarmingly common. In another incident, a young man was fatally stabbed after asking muggers to return his gold chains in a North London park. Similarly, random acts of violence have claimed the lives of ordinary citizens, such as the passenger stabbed on a train near Beckenham Junction and 87-year-old Bernard Fowler, who was killed at random in Havering.

 

Beyond these violent crimes, there is also a pervasive lack of politeness and decency in public spaces. Instances of people watching football or playing music loudly on public transport have become widespread. This behavior continues unchecked because intervening can feel too risky. For example, on a train from Oxford, a man began watching football on his phone in a quiet coach. When a woman politely asked him to stop, the entire carriage tensed in fear. Fortunately, he complied, but the anxiety his behavior caused was palpable.

 

Even in places where one might expect more decorum, such as hospitals, inconsiderate behavior is rampant. After my baby was born, I experienced a father on the other side of a curtain playing loud TikTok clips throughout the night in the maternity ward at UCL. No one dared ask him to stop, despite the obvious discomfort it caused.

 

This erosion of basic decency and respect for shared environments is compounded by the police’s seeming disinterest in pursuing serious criminals. Instead, they appear to focus on minor social media infractions. This misallocation of resources has made Britain’s cities stomping grounds for the worst elements of society. "Can we recover some of what once made us civilized—awareness of others, basic respect for shared environments, the ability to defer selfish and base impulses?" This question remains critical as the police continue to prioritize lesser offenses over more serious threats.

 

The current state of law and order has left the law-abiding citizens feeling abandoned and vulnerable. As criminal behavior goes unchecked, the once vibrant and safe urban spaces are becoming hostile territories. The police need to refocus their efforts on protecting citizens from real threats rather than policing social media content. Until this happens, British cities will remain challenging places for decent, law-abiding people, with thugs and criminals gaining the upper hand. Recovering the lost civility and trust in public life is an arduous task, but one that is essential for the health of our society.

 

Opinion Zoe Strimpel

 

Credit: Daily Telegraph 2024-05-27

 

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[Chomper Higgot]

The author loses her phone in Waitrose and an opportunist thief makes away with it.

 

Poor Zoe.

 

People up and down the country have been having their homes and businesses burgled with little expectation of the police attending.

 

Time for a change. 

[Bkk Brian]

50 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The author loses her phone in Waitrose and an opportunist thief makes away with it.

 

Poor Zoe.

 

People up and down the country have been having their homes and businesses burgled with little expectation of the police attending.

 

Time for a change. 

Is she not highlighting that to? I honestly don't think this is just to do with her phone but get your opportunist attempt at immature micky taking "Poor Zoe"

 

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

The reluctance to intervene is not unfounded. It’s not just that criminals are becoming bolder; it’s also the apparent apathy of the police towards crimes like theft, shoplifting, and burglaries.

 

[Chomper Higgot]

5 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Is she not highlighting that to? I honestly don't think this is just to do with her phone but get your opportunist attempt at immature micky taking "Poor Zoe"

 

 

I think you’ll find, I and others, have been discussing the failures in UK policing for a number of years now.

 

In posts following my own months long visits to the UK I have frequently mentioned the total absence of police officers outside of transport hubs.

 

Zoe lost her phone and an opportunist thief took advantage of her loss, it happens. 
 

Welcome Zoe to the reality of crime millions live with up and down the county.

If only somebody had warned the Tories that reducing police numbers and decimating community policing would result in an increase in crime.

 

 

 

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

I think you’ll find, I and others, have been discussing the failures in UK policing for a number of years now.

 

In posts following my own months long visits to the UK I have frequently mentioned the total absence of police officers outside of transport hubs.

 

Zoe lost her phone and an opportunist thief took advantage of her loss, it happens. 
 

Welcome Zoe to the reality of crime millions live with up and down the county.

If only somebody had warned the Tories that reducing police numbers and decimating community policing would result in an increase in crime.

 

 

 

I think you’ll find, I and others, have been discussing the failures in UK policing for a number of years now.

 

So your only posting here to take the micky out of her and not discuss her points on the polices reluctance to intervene in burglaries etc, as you've done it all before and you've been to the UK............

 

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

The reluctance to intervene is not unfounded. It’s not just that criminals are becoming bolder; it’s also the apparent apathy of the police towards crimes like theft, shoplifting, and burglaries.

 

 

 

[Chomper Higgot]

8 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

I think you’ll find, I and others, have been discussing the failures in UK policing for a number of years now.

 

So your only posting here to take the micky out of her and not discuss her points on the polices reluctance to intervene in burglaries etc, as you've done it all before and you've been to the UK............

 

 

 

 

She’s at least 10 years behind the curve.

 

[Bkk Brian]

Just now, Chomper Higgot said:

She’s at least 10 years behind the curve.

 

Just ignore it then, that's a good boy

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

Just ignore it then, that's a good boy

It’s not being ignored Brian.

 

It’s been noticed by the electorate.

 
Change is in the air.

 

[Bkk Brian]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not being ignored Brian.

 

It’s been noticed by the electorate.

 
Change is in the air.

 

Burglaries or her phone?

[RuamRudy]

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

British cities, once known for their sense of community and civic decency, are increasingly becoming hostile environments for law-abiding citizens.

And

4 hours ago, Social Media said:

My parents moved out of London in the early 1980s due to frequent burglaries and thuggery.

 

Schrödinger's Britain of yesteryear - both violent and halcyon.

[Chomper Higgot]

15 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Burglaries or her phone?

Crime.

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Crime.

"Poor Zoe."

[JonnyF]

The UK police are a disgrace, especially in London under Khan.

 

Knife crime rampant, but post a joke about LGBTQ and they're in like Flynn. 

 

Call for Jihad and the police will redefne Jihad as to not be offensive. Try to walk down the street as a Jew and be threatened with arrest for being 'openly Jewish'.

 

Police openinly shouting Pro Palestine chants.

 

They never miss the opportunity to dance at Pride or take the knee to BLM though. Pathetic. 

 

 

[Purdey]

Frankly, I don't see any government controlling urban violence any time soon. Conscripting people into the armed forces may seem like a solution until you understand what they will be taught. Shooting, knifing and unarmed combat. 🤔

[newbee2022]

11 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

British cities, once known for their sense of community and civic decency,

Oh, I like those jokes.😂😊🤗🥰😴🥱

[RichardColeman]

Jeez if only I could see the clear link between large UK labour run cities and US democrat run cities that are this way !! 

[Yellowtail]

racist! 

[Nick Carter icp]

You are supposed to take those bags for life back to the shop and reuse the bags .

   She should have either taken a bag with her or bought a new bag .

Some people will return found items and other people will keep those lost items .

[CanadaSam]

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

[Yellowtail]

Islam is a religion of peace. 

[Chomper Higgot]

23 minutes ago, CanadaSam said:

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

Coronation is not causation.

 

But scapegoating immigrants is a thing:

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

Islam is a religion of peace. 

What triggered that?

[Thingamabob]

Started by Labour under Blair/Brown, made worse by the Tories. Who can turn this sad condition around ?

[RayC]

1 hour ago, CanadaSam said:

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

 

You got a hat-trick there. False premise, false argument and false conclusion.

 

Your individual experience proves little. My experience, at roughly the same time, was almost the exact opposite. I was born and brought up in inner South London. Crime was rife; most of it was committed by locals who needed little instruction from immigrants in how to perform their "work".

[Yellowtail]

49 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

What triggered that?

All the bigoted hatred 

[Keeps]

6 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

Islam is a religion of peace. 

You taking the pi$$?

[Keeps]

6 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

I cannot see how the suggestion in your final paragraph is manageable but I am certainly of the opinion that a large amount of the crime (and not just London) is undertaken by 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants in addition to the recent immigrants/refugees.  

[newbee2022]

20 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

 

[newbee2022]

20 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

Very simple solution for simples: 

Start with Sunak, Rita Ora, Freddie Mercury (earlier), Margaret Hodge, Friedrich Lessner, Lord Mountbatten, David Miliband, also (long list)😂

[richard_smith237]

20 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

Lived in central London for a couple of years in the early 80's.

 

Virtually no crime to be seen anywhere.  There probably was, but far less than today.

 

Therefore, one is left with the only explanation for the explosion of crime is the concurrent explosion in the intake of "refugees" from third world countries.

 

Not say that all crime committed today is by immigrants, but perhaps the local lads are also learning and being influenced by these newcomers who had a rough life in their childhoods?

 

I can not see why the authorities don't simply put ALL immigrants/refugees on a 5 to 10 year "watch list", where if there is ANY crime by ANY member of the family, the entire family is immediately deported.  The family can keep the young ones in check.

 

Simple solution.

 

.. There's no need to isolate immigrants on a dedicated watch list...   Just deal with all crime effectively.

 

Perhaps the national service would be effective...  (not military service) national service... And any young person has to give time to their community / nation... And that means any incoming immigrant (younger than 35 for example) also has to contribute towards national service - if not, they are deported...

 

Another issue is that half of society don't distrust the police, the other half want them to do a better job - they have to be given back the ability to do their jobs properly - as things stand, who'd want to be a police officer, they are doing their jobs with both hands tide behind their backs...

 

... speak to any 'older member of the community' and they'd talk of the community 'bobby' on the beat... we don't see that so much anymore....