Questions Over Duggan's Death As Tension In London Remains High

Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 07/08/11 23:52 Updated: 07/10/11 11:12

Questions are being asked about the circumstances surrounding the killing of Mark Duggan as police launch an investigation into the riots sparked by his death in Tottenham.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said it was investigating what happened on Thursday evening in north London's Tottenham, when Duggan was shot by armed police.

The Guardian and Daily Telegraph cited sources as saying a bullet lodged into a police radio at the scene where the 29-year-old father of four was shot could have been issued by the police, according to initial ballistics tests.

"We await further forensic analysis to enable us to have a fuller and more comprehensive account of what shots were discharged, the sequence of events and what exactly happened," the commission said in a statement. But it said it wouldn't comment on the latest claims until all ballistics and forensic tests were complete.

The IPCC would not comment on the reports.

Police are also probing the events of Saturday night, when a peaceful march turned into one of the worst riots in Britain for many years. Hooded and masked youths threw bottles and petrol bombs at police and buildings and vehicles, setting a building, a bus and cars alight.

Tension remained high across London on Sunday with over 100 new arrests across the capital following the riots overnight, which left 26 police officers injured and saw 55 people arrested.

On Monday morning London's deputy mayor Kit Malthouse said the investigation into Duggan's death would take some time.

"The investigation into Mark Duggan's sad death is for the Independent Police Complaints Commission. It is not a Met Police investigation.

"Whenever a firearm is discharged in the UK, the IPCC is involved in the investigation into that shooting, whether it is fatal or not and so they are handling the investigation and I think there has been frankly a bit of confusion in people's minds and conflation if you like between the police and the IPCC and we need to look and disaggregate that.

"But at the same time one of the things that Mr Duggan deserves, is a good and thorough investigation. And that takes a little bit of time, and whether that community had been told that is something we need to look at", he told the BBC this morning.

But he said there was no excuse for the behaviour. "Somehow they managed to get in amongst that crowd and caused this kind of trouble, and I think we have to be careful, particularly in the media, not to create some kind of atmosphere of excuse for this kind of behaviour, there was no excuse for the behaviour if the last two nights, we have to make that clear and bring those who perpetrated it to justice."

Meanwhile the family of Mark Duggan told Sky News they do not condone the rioting over his death.

His brother Shaun Hall told the broadcaster: "We're not condoning any kind of actions like that at all. It seems to be the press who are generally saying that it is linked to my brother.

"OK, some questions were supposed to have been answered, they weren't answered, therefore there was a domino effect from that, we don't condone that at all."

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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
dbrett480
06:36 on 11/08/2011
I'm pretty sure the rioters have no idea who Duggan is, they are more concerned about their looted stereos.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Arrech
NY, NY
18:05 on 09/08/2011
BLACKBERRY IS THE WORD.
MESSAGES ARE ENCRIPTED, UNLIKE IPHONES OR IPADS.
THEY ARE CONFISCATING THEM NOW.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
bharv1
18:03 on 09/08/2011
ARE ALL THE LONDON RIOTERS BLACK, ALL I SEE IN THE MEDIA ARE BLACK FACES, JUST ASKING.
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21:33 on 09/08/2011
Of course they are.Did you think the media would tell you that they are robbing people and forcing them to strip in the streets?
04:45 on 10/08/2011
Do you believe all the media tells you? Ignorance.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
chickenNgravy
18:02 on 09/08/2011
Almost hilarious to read the explanations for the rioting and anarchy from a leftist standpoint. All about inequality, the 'haves", the have-nots", it is all so unfair. Oh My! the Poverty, the Humanity!

The little Brit in his hoodie. He has a cell phone, but wants a smart phone, has a 32 in. flat screen but wants a 50 inch, has the PS-3 but needs the X-box to play Halo.

Doesn't have a job handed to him like everything else is, but then again, if he had a job, he would have to work. And if there was a job available, who wants to hire a self-centered, un-motivated punk who shows up in a dirty t-shirt with foul breath.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
kauthon
01:33 on 10/08/2011
Better educated people don't riot. Simply put.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LWilkinson315
Taking America forward not BACKwards
17:58 on 09/08/2011
Once again, this is basic social science 101- It's easy to indict rioters and never look at social/ economic structure that creates them. History has proven time and time again all it takes is one incident to morph into something out of control. And please stop trying to pin these type of riots on only brown people, Muslims and government programs. Our own American history is that of entire African American towns being burned down to the ground by white mobs and lets not forget the genocide of Native Americans.
Before we can even begin to condemn the horrible acts taking place in London we first need to be honest and look in our own back yards.
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IntelligentDesign
In this respect Sarah
17:53 on 09/08/2011
Republicans view the poor and middle classes as inconvenient truths to ignore -- it's so much more fun to idolize the wealthy.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
farmerlady
Blonde, Democratic socialist, and unwilling expat
17:51 on 09/08/2011
Ray-cist and nativist comments here all over the place. Really sad.
fredgladys
Your Micro-bio is empty, I know, stop nagging.
17:42 on 09/08/2011
Incidents like this tend to be looked at through the lens of your own beliefs or experience, the mob will either be romanticized or demonized. Looking back on my own experience of a misspent youth I recognize the mob mentality where the excitement takes over and any consequences are irrelevant. I doubt whether the many in the mob are rioting for a greater cause, that isn't to say that frustration or boredom isn't underneath a lot of their actions and this should shake up the politicians. Many others are in it for the loot, it's a good opportunity to get in and grab the goodies while the police are otherwise occupied.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
LegallyPalin
needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few
17:08 on 09/08/2011
I don't agree with these riots in the poor neighborhoods. They should be rioting in the rich neighborhoods.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
farmerlady
Blonde, Democratic socialist, and unwilling expat
17:44 on 09/08/2011
Yes, but then they would not be allowed to live long.
17:02 on 09/08/2011
Tonight is going to be The Empire Strikes Back.

No water cannon or army, but the state will be going in HARD!

16,000 Met on duty tonight.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
NYC123
16:20 on 09/08/2011
“Greed” for the “Few” -- at the expense of the “Many” is why America is in decline!

For the Few: shipping manufactur­­­ing jobs overseas to improve their bottom line, tax havens offshore for multinatio­­­nals, and lavish socialism in the form of bailouts and tax breaks and loopholes!

For the Many: foreclosur­­­e of homes, loss of jobs shipped overseas, higher cost for education, cutback on social services, loss of retirement savings, constant wars sacrificin­­­g life and limbs of our boys and girls protecting corporate interest, and worse “loss of dignity!”

The Declaratio­­­n of Independen­­­ce
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation­­­.

We hold these truths to be self-evide­­­nt, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienabl­­­e Rights -- that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

That to secure these rights, Government­­­s are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructiv­­­e of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government­­­.””””
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Hyblarvim
I need answers.
16:41 on 09/08/2011
So what, exactly, to do you recommend?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
chickenNgravy
18:03 on 09/08/2011
It would help if the people rioting actually read newspapers or used computers for anything besides porn and gaming.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
NYC123
00:39 on 10/08/2011
It would help more if the people we send to elected office were more concerned with doing what is great and right for America! Both parties are at fault -- once in office they become mules to the rich and powerful to advance their political career! Sad!
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16:07 on 09/08/2011
No mention of the Wisconsin recall elections anywhere...nothing.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Hyblarvim
I need answers.
16:42 on 09/08/2011
In this article about riots in London?
Why exactly should it be mentioned?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mfoto1986
#RomneyShambles
20:44 on 09/08/2011
Ummm--- maybe you should go to "politics" section??
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15:29 on 09/08/2011
In case you haven't noticed, many cities and rural towns are cutting their police forces. Wars and nation building are more important in the mideast. Banks are untouchable and continue to steal from the taxpayer with the criminal Politicians. See how you like the Wild West when it comes to your doorstep brave cons, cause it's coming.
15:41 on 09/08/2011
If real brave cons were in charge were in charge we'd have looters' corpses hanging by the road after the first night of violence.

Stop blaming bankers for the losers on the streets
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OlHippie
Career smart arse.
15:54 on 09/08/2011
looters corpses??????

Wow, you must be a real man.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Cole 33
Careful. We don't want to learn from this.
15:27 on 09/08/2011
In any civilization, throughout the entire history of mankind, you have to keep the masses *happy*, this isn't a new concept, whatever your political bent whatever your feelings are on Law and Order, and people should take responsibility etc etc.

That goes out the window when the masses begin to be stretched too thin, or something happens, when enough people in a population feel like an injustice is being done, this is going to happen.

I read a book about food, that talked about how in Egypt (around the revolt) they were protective any filming of their food production, because they didn't want the world to see that the vast majority of the peoples diets subsisted of a lentil muss and a stack of bread.

The main reason we need a safety net for our society is because of how dangerous it is to have millions upon millions upon millions of people out off work for a long time, destitute and not able to be productive or feed their family.

I'm not talking about lazy people either, I'm talking about people were part of a productive society.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
fiddler3
physicist, musician, parent
16:27 on 09/08/2011
I tend to think the looters in London were not a productive segment of society that has fallen on hard times and is turning to violence to get those things they need (a la Jean Valjean in Les Miserables).

I hope I am wrong. I hope this all is just a matter of needy people unable to support their families and forced to steal to survive. As sad as that is, it would be easier to understand and perhaps even to forgive.
17:20 on 09/08/2011
Charles Tilley, a historian wrote about the crowd in history, argued that collective violence typically arises from the organization of normally non-violent political contentions and not thugs. Tilly's works showed how the dynamics of social protest are tied to economic conditions and contentious politics.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
chickenNgravy
18:06 on 09/08/2011
I suspect it is about someone with a basic cell phone who wants a smart phone, an upgrade from 32 in. to 50 in. on his flat screen and a PS-3 to replace his Playstation.

Don't see any real evidence of "hunger" or "poverty" but hard to tell with rioters wearing hoodies. Maybe they just need new kicks and kits.