Riot in Swansea, May 2021.

[adam2]

Significant riot last night, various media report.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-57197466

Not certain what it was about, vehicles destroyed and homes damaged. The police have promised "robust action" against the rioters, though there seemed to be a distinct lack of robust action at the time of the riot.

[kenneal - lagger]

That will happen again and the police won't have enough numbers to control it. As it was only a working/middle class area TPTB won't be too bothered about it. If, however, it was in Kensington and Chelsea there would be a mjor increase in police numbers - in that area only!!

[adam2]

Agree that this sort of thing does seem to be on the increase, and the response seems limited or ineffective.
It also sends the message to otherwise respectable people that the police CANT protect you, and that you may need to equip yourself with defensive equipment.

[BritDownUnder]

Old Bill is often quite stretched from what my brother (a serving police officer) but I am sure that if you had a faulty headlight the full force of the law would be on you. From what I understand, again from my brother, the Riot Act being read out means that the government has to pay for the damage caused by rioters after that.
I supposed that when the Riot Act was supported by volleys of live fire like in St Peter's Fields it may have had some force.

[adam2]

My understanding was that under the old and fairly recently repealed "riot damages act" that the police had to compensate the owners of property "destroyed, damaged or stolen" during a riot.
This became too expensive during the last lot of major rioting (2011 ?) when property worth many millions of pounds was destroyed, in particular when a large warehouse containing expensive goods was looted and burnt. The police tried to claim that the loss was due to "ordinary crime" against which insurance should be held, and was not due to the rioting.
TPTB were concerned that future claims could be even more costly and might bankrupt the police if they "had to give their entire budget to large multinational corporations"

The old riot damages act was therefore repealed and replaced by "modernised" legislation that sets various limits on riot compensation. There is now a great reluctance by TPTB to admit that a riot is underway or has recently occurred. The preferred terms are "localised crime and disorder" possibly with "vandalism and arson" Such events should be covered by insurance.

Most insurance policies excluded acts of "war, riot, or insurrection, whether war be declared or not" Some newer policies exclude "acts of riot, whether a state of riot be declared or not"

[kenneal - lagger]

As usual, "it's the poor what gets the blame", "ain't it all a bloody shame". Anything to make sure that the government doesn't have to foot a bill and they don't do anything to make the insurance industry pay out either.

[adam2]

A number of persons are charged with offences in relation to this disorder.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-60229692
It remains to be seen if they will be convicted, and if so, what penalties will be imposed.