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Residents in London and beyond have pledged to reclaim streets vandalised by rioters by organising spot clean-up squads.
Within hours of the unrest escalating, numerous Facebook groups had been set up and local people were arranging to meet using the Twitter hash tag #riotcleanup.
"Clean up starting in an hour. About 200 odd people with broom and marigolds ready to take our town back! Come down!" was among typical postings made on social media.
A special website set up to help co-ordinate the efforts has crashed after being overwhelmed by visitors.
Meanwhile, hundreds of people living in affected boroughs have called their local councils, asking to help with the clear-up.
Croydon Council told Sky News that more than 500 people had rung this morning to offer their assistance, and Hackney Council reported similar support.
Both councils say their clean-up efforts are under control, having begun in the early hours of this morning.
But they are taking names and contact numbers of volunteers in case they are needed later.
A Hackney Council spokesperson said it was "great to see the community coming together" following the unrest that has seen dozens of local businesses damaged.
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In the aftermath of these traumatic events, many legal aspects relating to the subsequent "treatment" of the culprits will have to come under close scrutinity and will no doubt be the subject of further controversy. However, for the time being it is with a huge sigh of relief that I see that the last vestiges of human decency have not yet been completely pulled down and that there are decent, caring people out there who take the meaning of "being part of a community" very serious indeed... and ACT accordingly.
Heartwarming, to say the least!
Whilst there are numerous issues related to these events boiling close to the surface that must be dealt with at some point sooner rather than later, I have chosen to concentrate on the positive attitude and response of those people who have reacted with written comments to news flashes, and am offering you here a brief selection to highlight the importance of pulling together for the benefit of a community... a lesson we could all learn from. These comments are straight copy/pastes without attention being paid to any grammar or syntax issues, nor should they be taken out of context as a means of putting an adverse slant in reporting about these events. As I said, many issues will require in-depth analysis and perhaps a change of policies and laws before being satisfactorily solved. The comments do NOT reflect my personal position on things and should not be seen in that light. They do however, highlight some of the issues at stake here...
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...This is what people are about all pulling together. Good luck to everybody that is helping out. You are the hero's.Don't let the yobs destroy you areas stand up to them on mass together you are stronger than these spineless yobs...
... WELL DONE! to the people who are volunteering to help with the clean up.Thank goodness there are decent people amongst those thugs and vandals that are destroying your area and property. I do admire you. My thoughts are with you. Good Luck!...
...If this is the start of taking back your town I wish you all the good fortune and luck possable. What starts with brushes and bin bags can bring a community together...
...Somebody likened the burning buildings to the wartime Blitz. It's true ..... and the wonderful response from the residents is also just like the spirit of the Blitz...
...This is what the true brit is about rallying round in times of crisis. Let this be a lesson to the SCUM who caused all this...
...the police have done a cracking job against appalling odds but its now time for us the honest ordinary folk to take back our towns and cities and we must be given the power to defend ourselves and our properties without us being in the firing line. there has been a major change in the way people behave and we are witnessing complete lawlessness which must be combatted no matter what it takes. if people have to be locked up for years in damp dingy prisons for this so be it.we cannot continue like this...
...Home now after a long day on the brooms. If I need to, I'll do it again tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that...
...Councils and residents use social media to organise a mass clean-up and support for businesses affected by rioting across London...
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I sign off for today in the hope that not only will the good people of Britain rally together to help put things back in order, but that these events will prompt the world to take notice and start looking into ways in which we can promote social happiness rather than social unrest...
With a reluctant smile and hope for a brighter future
Emm :}
Lord, what have some of us come to...It's simply beyond words...
Emm :((