With three nights of violent riots and looting it is clear that there is no justification for the chaos. After tensions boiled over in Tottenham other regions followed suit, including Croyden, Hackney and Clapham. The rioters were seemingly in pursuit of material gain and recreational destruction rather than making any particular stand.
Last night the Sony DADC Warehouse joined the list of victims and emergency services are still tackling the blaze. Far from attacking the major corporations, this was a blow for many independent labels across film and music. The warehouse served as a distribution hub for PIAS Group servicing indie music labels such as Domino and Sunday Best, along with independent studios like Guerilla Films and Peccadillo Pictures. People are already pulling together to support those facing loss.
With thousands of units of stock lost to the fire it will be hard for these smaller outfits to recover their businesses. The CEO of Guerilla Films even said, “I have spoken to friends who say they may have to lay off people, because the DVDs keep the business going.” The real victims of the riots are individuals, something those rioting may need to step back and realise.
This blog, based in London and very closely connected to Hackney, finds it all heartbreaking, seeing a great city bringing itself to its knees. Thankfully plenty of residents are rallying together to clean up London’s streets, in a very literal way. With any luck this will all end soon and we can travel home without fear.
Not even a James Cameron joke feels appropriate today.
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