ABSTRACT
The August 2011 Riots started on 4 August in Tottenham, as a result of the suspicious shooting by the police of a young black man, Mark Duggan. The police’s failure to engage with his family and supporters who went to the police station for answers became the trigger for the riot. This chapter explores the idea put forward by Prime Minister David Cameron that the riots are the product of “pockets of our society that are not only broken, but frankly sick”. It argues that to understand the “sickness” requires an examination not only of the rioters (them), but also of those who did not riot (us). The chapter puts forward the idea that the riots were symptomatic of a malaise and, in addition, were an unconscious request for its recognition, understanding, and thoughtful containment. On 10 August 2011, David Cameron reassured the country that law and order will be restored on our streets.
