Write to the editor

I WAS absolutely disgusted when I turned on my TV and saw footage of the riots in London.

Yes, there have been riots and uprisings all over the world recently but what separates those from the chaos in London is the rationale behind it.

Elsewhere in the world, these demonstrations were held to call for social and political reform whereas in London it was simply a bunch of lazy miscreants looking for a new TV or a pair of designer trainers.

As a Londoner myself, I was looking on in horror as buildings burned and innocent bystanders were caught up in the mayhem.

However, the thing that sickened me most was a clip posted on YouTube which shows a badly-beaten young man trying to get back on his feet after a horrific attack. The boy was later named as Ashraf Haziq, a 20-year-old Malaysian, who attends a university in the UK.

As he tries to lift himself from a pool of his own blood, a group of youths approach and help him stand up … ‘what lovely people’, I initially thought, ‘how beautiful that some people in the world still have a sense of decency’.
Well, as it turns out, no actually, they begin riffling through his back pack, stealing stuff and then sauntering off (presumably to rob someone else or kick in a shop window).

Some people have been quick to defend these hooligans, claiming that it’s not their fault because they come from under-privileged backgrounds and single parent families, ergo they cannot be held accountable.

That is absolute rubbish. I myself was brought up on a council estate in one of the roughest parts of London, by a single mum nonetheless, and I have never acted in such an appalling manner.

People who were as disgusted as I was with the incident have created a website and Twitter campaign called Let’s Do Something Nice For Ashraf Haziq, which has already raised nearly £4,000.

Check it out and make a difference. www.somethingniceforashraf.tumblr.com/

Dr Jeremy Fisher,
By email.