Tragedy or farce?

Thanks very much to everyone who took the time to comment on yesterday's blip. I appreciated all your thoughts and good wishes.

There's so much I want to add but suffice it to say that there was some more trouble last night but also some pretty successful community responses, with local residents out on the streets - peaceably - to talk to some of the young people, reason with them and in many cases dissuade them from sticking around and participating in anything they may come to regret...

There's a danger when debating these events of either coming across as a stereotypical "hang em and flog em" type OR as a stereotypical 'bleeding heart liberal' - neither of which are particularly helpful - so I won't go on at any greater length but I would recommend Zoe Williams' thought provoking piece here if you haven't already seen it.

Meanwhile, my thoughts have inevitably turned to events in Liverpool exactly 100 years ago. I've already blipped about this here but I thought you might be interested to see this headline from the Liverpool Echo on August 14th 1911 (as displayed in the Walker Art Gallery). Apparently, the Riot Act was actually read!

It was Karl Marx who said that "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." I'll leave you to make up your own minds as to which point in that cycle we're currently at but I can't help but feel the transport workers who rioted 100 years ago had their livelihoods and wellbeing at stake in 'bread on the table' ways which are simply not the case today.