I was first told that this would take place at 3pm, when I overheard a conversation between a homeless man and a passer by. The homeless man normally found outside Allders with a canine companion, I believe was informed of this by the Police for his own safety. The trouble was predicted to start between 4 and 8, which was a bit of a inconvenience due to me having tickets for a movie at The Vue Cinema that very evening.
The Movie was very good and took my mind off what was about to take place. I forgot about the disturbance that was about to enplode in the town I reside, and made my way home (Luckily I did not have to pass where the holiganism was taking place). It only hit home when I returned and turned my television on.
Within a few hours there was a report of fires around West Croydon and also another location I idenitified as Reeves Furniture Store (A near 150 year old shop established in 1867 by the Reeves Family, and even has the road named in its honour.
I watched the reeves fire from a safe distance (my kitchen window) it was huge with fireballs in the nights sky. and watched for updates (noticing one of the building affected in West Croydon was called Rock Bottom, quite apt I thought. Most of the towns affected are riot hotspots (places like Brixton, Peckham, Hackney), but Croydon does not have this kind of history.
As far as a fathom most of those trouble makers were not Croydonians, which in a way makes this behaviour even worse as they do not have to deal with the chaos they have caused. The Reeves building itself is a reminder to Croydon's past, and 144 years of business destroyed.
I went for a walk after the trouble had died down to inspect what had gone on, and conversed with a gentleman who worked for BskyB about what had happened. He stated that he had been to other towns suffering from civil unrest (including Brixton). Also individuals trying to coax information out of him falsely claiming to be from the Press Association.
On my way back I saw what I assumed to be Looters from nearby Argos, selling some suspicious electrical items. In my opinion people who loot during demonstrations and riots are the worst kind of criminal as they are stealing while people are getting hurt.
I finally got home again at 1 am and turned my television back on, for updates on the areas I avoided as acts of vandalism were still being commited.
This was not a demonstration, this was anarchy. These riots need to stop, and these anachists need to be caught and tried.
