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Comment by dave1010uk | Hacker News Reader

Prison sentences, fines, comunity service, etc are already a deterrent to crime. These deterrents (and punishments) are considered proportionate to the crime by the judge/jury. I see no reason to single out rioting to be different, apart from emotional ones.

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But it hasn't acted as a deterrent, has it. The first tiny window of opportunity these organised shoplifters had, they went for it.

It wasn't rioting or a protest.

So because x pounds of punishment wasn't a deterrent, we are to believe that x times two pounds of punishment will be? Why not, instead, work toward inspiring people to strive to do good, rather than punishing them into fearing to do evil?

You are getting over excited. There are many opportunities to riot, that are not taken. This is no the "first tiny window of opportunity".

And once again, the police will cover up any wrong doing, close ranks, just as they did with Jean Charles de Mendez. This is not OK. This is not acceptable, for a police force to kill people, and hide. You can pretend that it has nothing to do with this, but all you will be doing is pretending to yourself to make yourself feel better.

I don't feel I am getting over exited.

A protest about an unfortunate incident led to some people throwing stuff at the Police. This escalated.

Others then saw this as an opportunity to go looting in other towns.

Bringing up Jean Charles de Mendez at this point in time makes no sense at all. We have no idea what happened to Mark Duggan exactly yet.

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