Someone looted Lush.
“Don’t worry darling, I got something for you”
Paul Williams, 45, was jailed for two years and two months on Friday after pleading guilty to one count of violent disorder in connection with the Sunderland riots.
The court heard he had entered the city centre to collect a takeaway, but ended up at the “forefront” of an “orgy of mindless destruction, violence and disorder”.
His defence lawyer said he had no political opinions around immigration and was “entirely unaware of the basis of what started this”.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Williams threw metal fencing and a can of beer at police, stripped off his shirt and ran at the line of riot shields.
It makes you wonder what goes on in some people’s heads (or doesn’t go on).
hairyfeet@lemmy.ml 2 months ago
Half the sentence of people who planned an environmental protest
TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Would be noted that the organiser of the protest who got 5 years
was a repeat offender
purposely blocked and ambulance, then when asked to let it through said he’d rather any patient inside die than let it through
was arrested again during the court case for being in contempt of court
said he couldn’t wait to get out and commit more crime
He didnt really leave the judge much choice. You try telling a judge you want to commit more crime and see how that goes. Plus, purposely blocking an ambulance is a serious crime.
steeznson@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Thank you for providing this extra context. I don’t think that people are really interrogating the circumstances properly when they compare sentences. Roger Hallam is a bona fide weirdo too - anyone who has not heard him being interviewed should listen to 5 mins of him describing his worldview.
danielquinn@lemmy.ca 2 months ago
These statements, while true are lacking so many critical details that it borders on disinformation.
The ambulance thing is pretty terrible, but when you consider the objective outcome of our current world-burning, it’s not an unexpected perspective. Given a few more years of inaction and profiteering, and the nonviolent actors will start giving up on being civil – especially if the penalty is the same regardless. We’ll be looking back on traffic blocking and orange paint with nostalgia.
endofline@lemmy.ca 2 months ago
It depends. While I don’t say he was right, Many activists like “last generation” in Poland won’t be persecuted more than few hours of social work for blocking hours long whole street including emergency ambulance. The activits group is actually using subsidized big flat at the city center of Warsaw and Warsaw governor doesn’t care about this. There are double standards by current “good ( by EU ) government in Poland”. There is a clear bias ( i wont say what side ) represented in most governments of EU
GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world 2 months ago
Hey don’t. Don’t you be bringing facts into this. It completely goes against my preconceived notions. And I can’t handle that.
echodot@feddit.uk 2 months ago
Oh get off that narrative. The guy was certifiable he literally told the judge that he would commit more crimes when released what exactly was going to happen. Stop with these victim complex, everything that happened to him was 100% his fault.
Emperor@feddit.uk 2 months ago
These are only the early, cases which have been easier to prove and process. They have just started charging people with riot, which carries a maximum 10 year sentence.
stoly@lemmy.world 2 months ago
That’s probably more a US/China/Russia thing.