Last night violence flared up again as angry youths stormed the streets of [Cairo/Hama/London]. Clad in [Burkhas/Westernised dress/Hoodies and tracksuit bottoms] the [Activists/Demonstrators/Youths] attacked security forces and smashed property in their campaign for [Democracy/Justice/Free stuff].
[Hilary Clinton/David Cameron/Raul Castro] criticized the heavy handed response of the [Syrian army/Bahraini Mukhabaret/British Met] to what many see as legitimate protest against a corrupt regime. They publicly demanded that police be taken off the streets and those who have been arrested be released.
However, others claim that the newspapers only portrays one side of the conflict and that the real aims of the uprising are far more sinister. “These rioters deserve to be hung” said [Bashar al-Assad/Gadaffi/an eighty year old from Croydon]. It has been suggested that despite claims that they are marching in support of [Democratic ideals/Religious tolerance/An end to police brutality] they have a deeper and darker agenda. “Marches in support of the government are ignored by the media.”, said one anonymous commentator, “The uprisings are portrayed as justified but in fact it is simply violence and looting carried out by [Islamists/Terrorists/Yobs].
All tongue in cheek of course. The protests about the shooting of Mark Duggan have obviously been hijacked by people who just want to cause trouble and fight the police (although this tension hasn't exactly been reduced by the government's mindless pushing of austerity measures in a time of high unemployment and economic melt down). I also think the protests in the Arab world are long overdue and have achieved real successes.
It just seems slightly hypocritical that the politicians who were praising street protesters in Syria and Egypt a month ago are now raging against the violence and disorder caused by street mobs in London and Birmingham. A little consistency please, Clegg and Cameron?
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