Premier’s Statement: Bermudians In London

August 9, 2011

In light of the rioting in London this week, Premier Paula Cox today encouraged Bermudians living in London and the rest of the UK to be safe.

The Premier said that as London is a popular destination for Bermudians travelling abroad, the Government is concerned for the safety of Bermudians, in particular, the many young Bermudians who are studying, working or living in the London areas.

“The ongoing unrest and violence is very unfortunate and we hope that peace will be restored soon. Until then, we encourage Bermudians to take care and to be safe,” the Premier said.

The Premier added that Bermudians in the London area who are affected by the riots and require assistance should contact the Government of Bermuda London Office, via telephone: 020 7518 9900 or, if able, via email: londonoffice@gov.bm.

Widespread rioting began on August 6th in North London, spreading to other parts of the U.K. The riots follow the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan by officers of the Metropolitan Police Service.

The Guardian reports that, “The Metropolitan police will deploy 16,000 officers in London tonight, and revealed that plastic bullets may be used if required. The deployment is significant, is up from 6,000 the night before.”

“More than 560 people have been arrested in London and more than 100 charged. Several dozen more have been arrested in other cities.”

“Three people have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a police officer was hit by a car in Brent, north London. The Met said 111 officers had been injured after experiencing “unprecedented” levels of violence.”

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Comments (33)

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  1. Down 'n' Dirty says:

    To all the asinine Bermudians who thought Bermuda was bad and took de bait to flee to de Motherland … Ya jumped outta de pan into de Fire .. For real , SUCKERS , for every one of you who leave Bermuda , three foreigners take ya place ,and mostly from Great Britain , DUMMIES , The grass may be greener but impossible to cut ..FOOLS .. These expats Know they are living in Paradise and will only leave here kicking and screaming ,with their finger and toenails embedded in L.F.Wades solid friggin runway .

    • Keep Talking says:

      Preach on!

    • Keith says:

      Oh shut up !!!!

    • Maddog says:

      He is so right why would you leave Great Britain to come to Bermuda to work if Great Britain is so good? Something is wrong they can’t even control a riot how are they suppose to help us and people think we can’t go independent. People don’t be FOOLED. Our governor is sitting on over $1.000000 of tax payers money a year to run his house. Young black men are killing one another like chickens. Who is in charge of national security? THE Governor, do you get it people? The English people would have us believe that we need them; it looks like it is the other way around. People don’t be FOOLED.

    • Grow up says:

      Quit being a troll trying to get people worked up.

      And learn how to write – you are the dummy.

    • Keisha says:

      you shut it you prob one of the fools thats gone!

    • Think about it says:

      You’re an idiot. Bermuda is whack and other than the decent wages and nice beaches, it has NOTHING going for it.

      p.s. I’m Bermudian and can’t wait to leave.

    • Christina says:

      Honestly Down n Dirty….shut the eff up!! So you’d rather people leave Bermuda and not better themselves?? Yeah because that really will get us somewhere in life. You sound so ignorant! People leave to come back and benefit Bermuda!

  2. wondering says:

    so very true…..mad ting dat don’t?

  3. Terry says:

    Wow!!!!! What a moronic statement….

  4. Just an idea says:

    So narrow minded! And disrespecful!

  5. Expart says:

    And you wonder why there are expats here working…….i love those comments because it reminds me of the shallow minds here. The sad thing is that there are professional and intelligent Bermudians who wish they could get rid of some of you dummies.

    guess you do not need a british passport then!!

  6. Down 'n' Dirty says:

    Come home my people and stop living off the Dole , living in the cold , it’s embarrassing … Really .

  7. Hate Ignorance says:

    Shut up you idiot!! A lot of us are out here studying to further our education to come back to Bermuda to reach our goals. This rioting is ridiculous and scary and can happen anywhere even BERMUDA!! Before you open your big mouth you should think about your fellow Bermudians out here and whether or not they are safe because they have families back home who are worried about them. Grow up and take your gripes with your own miserable life somewhere else!

    • Bwermp Bermp says:

      Isnt’t it obvious that D’n'D is talking to the refugee Bermudians and not those who are legitimately persuing higher education ? Please refrain from being an overcompensating idiot yourself .

    • Scott says:

      LOL wow that was a 180 deg turn..

      they did take their gripes “somewhere else”… hence they’re abroad ya numpty. which is the same thing you were previously whining about.

      and i plan on doing heading there too.

      • Scott says:

        ooo your name changed on bernews… it said that was D n D posting.. mi scuzi…

  8. Onion says:

    @Down ‘n’ Dirty – What an idiot! Maybe if there less fools like you on the island Bermuda would become an even better place to live!

  9. anonymous says:

    i am neither british nor bermudian, but well said hate ignorance.

  10. United says:

    Boy, isn’t it somewhat of a human trait to be safe at all times? A government official actually had to tell people to be safe! I think that maybe efforts should be made to allow the citizenry to be EMPLOYED, PROSPEROUS, HEALTHY, HAPPY AND YES SAFE but to tell them to be safe. Waste of time and energy. Please, premier set up the conditions for ALL Bermudians to aspire to improve their condition. Let the people keep more of their money so that they can keep their families safe, safe from hunger, safe from unemployment, safe from these thugs that only seem to get a slap on the wrist for the violence in BERMUDA. The premier should send a message to the Bermudians living in Bermuda to stay safe.

    Just sayin.

  11. PawPaw says:

    To the Bermudians who are studying and working in the UK, I hope you remain safe.

    To the Bermudians who are using the UK as a scapegoat to get away from their ‘gangster’or non productive lifestyles …welcome to the ‘real’ world. You will get an eye opener living in the UK…you are not on vacation anymore..

    Now you will see what the word ‘anarchy’ truly means. Perhaps you can take a look at the behaviours of the UK youth and relate it to your own behaviours here at home. Look at the destruction of people’s businesses and personal property that they have raised from the ground. Look at how their young children and elderly parents are being traumatised…not a pretty picture.

    I am a Black Bermudian female, who studied, worked and lived in London during my late teens and 20′s. I am saddened by the violence and anarchy that has taken place over the past few days. I grew to love London and a large number of the boroughs affected by the riots are areas that I have lived in or have friends who still reside in those areas. These areas of London are the “meat’ of that city..these are where the real,working and middle class people live. Not in the West End, not the pretty sightseeing parts of London. These are their neighbourhoods.

    In my humble opinion, I think this generation all over the World have grown up thinking the World belongs to them and no one else. They tend to demonstrate an attitude of entitlement without a sense of accountability. Parents have lost control of their children. This is what too much liberalism delivers.

    And the same thing is happening in Bermuda.

  12. Triangle Drifter says:

    I saw a news story on the rioting last night. Every business had been broken into & looted. All except the bookstore! What does that say about the people doing the looting? It is like the looting in New Oreleans after the hurricane. The place was flooded & there was no power but the idiots are stealing TVs.

    Violence & theft just because they can get away with it.

    • Street Talk says:

      Actually referring to New Orleans was a bad example because of the state the area was in. How do you consider looting for survival the same as looting for comfort. If your stealing a shirt because you cant wash the one on your back and thats all you have then what else are you left to do.

      Looting always has different scenario’s. Dont try to take it to race or anything else.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHcajIRcBvA

      • Think about it says:

        Dummy, most of the looting in new orleans was for electronics. So how was that for survival?

  13. hackney says:

    before people go shooting their mouths off try knowing your facts,i am from bermuda and now live in hackney right in the middle of it..police shot and killed n inocent man and people have reacted to it in the wrong way i agree and its mainly the young ones out off school with nothing better to do doing all dis madness,but lets be honest it has been boiling up before the shooting from the benifit cuts to the raise of VAT among other things with a lazy government that dun do anything until its already happened..this aint d first one this year,there have been at least 4 others in london this year but this is the first one to spread across the country

    • sandgrownan says:

      Well, not really. The rioters & looters are cowards and were looking for an excuse. It’s all very well trying to politicise it, but it boils down to not enough mums & dads giving smacks on the bum when these kids were younger. Kind of like Bermuda in a way.

      Don’t worry, most of them are pussies and the minute it rains the rioting and looting will stop.

      As for innocent man being shot, he was a gang banger who pulled a gun. Tough titties to him I’m afraid.

    • YES MATE! says:

      So you’re saying Mark Duggan wasn’t a drug dealing gangster who was carrying a gun when the police shot him?

      • hackney says:

        lol ya he was a drug dealer and d police had been trying to arrest him for years but never found a reason NO HE DID NOT HAVE A GUN ON HIM,and the police av already confirmed they shot and klled the wrong person and he did not av a weapon of any kind.

  14. PawPaw says:

    Thank you Mr. Hackney, and I certainly do not hope you were not referring to my earlier comments with regards to the events in London.

    As I am neither a politician, nor a law enforcer or a social scientist, the behaviour exhibited, cannot be justified. The 600 or more that have already been arrested should be prosecuted and given stiff sentences if found guilty.
    They need to be made to understand that there are consequences for their behaviour.
    I have several friends in London who have communicated to me, the possible causes of the riots, so I am well aware of the situation at hand.

    You mentioned that you “now” live in Hackney..I take it you have just moved to that area.
    I lived near Hackney as well..in Mile End..one of the roughest areas of East London..when the National Front and Skinheads were battling it out and terrorizing non whites.

    When being black and/ or an immigrant was not easily tolerated…when the Brixton riots took place in the 80′s… they were protesting and rioting for a cause.

    So before you think, you are a Mr. “Know it All, Newly Moved Over to Hackney”, then perhaps you should know a little more of the history of life in London.

    By the way, are you on the dole or waiting until you are eligible?

    Will you be attending school or do you have a ‘legitimate’ job.

    Sounds as if you may be contributing to the riots or know people who are….just what are you doing in London??

    I suggest if you are unemployed, then perhaps you should take a few lessons in English grammar to improve your writing skills.

    • hackney says:

      first off dats y its called short tex dun try insult my grammar, i did graduate from saltus and west indies high school jamaica i av a gd education..second,i av been in hackney for 3 years now,before that i was in peckham for 1 year and before that i was in norris green liverpool the woest area in england..i am on the dole and i stay home with the kids i dont work.and if you read wa i said u would c i said I DO NOT AGREE WITH DIS BS..and if you av lived out here you would know dat this is not the first 1 dis year..this is the only 1 that has spread across the country..this has been boiling since all the benifit cuts,and the milbank riots when police killed that 70 year old pensioner for no reason..

  15. MinorMatters says:

    Before the days of English League Premiership where young hooligans could act up, they would have been rounded up by the British to fight in wars and be transported to places which were in turn colonised by the British.

    What you have is an abundance of young males with nothing to do, tempered by the fact some of these folks are 1st and 2nd generation British who feel no allegiance to Britain, their home.

    Britains options are limited with overcrowded jails, youngsters who will be charged with their first offence, an oversubscribed court system and so most will walk free or with nominal punishment but with an even worse attitude and contempt for their country.

    Any suggestions?

    • Bwermp Bermp says:

      Australia perhaps ?

    • YES MATE! says:

      I suggest you do more reading on your chosen subject. To say that before the “English League Premiership” hooligans would be shipped off to war or to colonize some place is ignorance at its best. First off it’s the English Premier League and to put it simply it is a renaming of the old First Division and has only been in existence since 1993. Britain hasn’t used press gang tactics to fill military ranks in quite some time and definitely haven’t colonized anywhere since 1993!