Observations on my high street - things that made me cross
Part of my local high street is being dug up. The half height barriers have been erected where the pavement and tarmac are being pulled up and then resurfaced, and the pedestrian walkway is temporarily re-directed around these areas. I was walking through these areas behind two young lads today. There was nothing out of the ordinary until one of them put his arm through the barriers and pulled out a large shovel, and his compatriot did the same and pulled up a large long piece of concrete. They then carried on walking with their new implements. They were cool. They didn't even bother to see if anyone had noticed, just carried on walking, carrying a shovel and a piece of concrete. They must have been around 15 years old, walking around about 2pm on a weekday afternoon.
It didn't look like they had picked them up to help an old granny with her gardening. It just smacked of stocking them up for violence. I was infuriated. They had committed theft in open daylight, and there appeared to be a violent intent. My high street is extremely busy, and since it is in central London is a well-used part of town. There was no policeman or member of the law anywhere to be seen. Despite worries about my own safety (i'm only little) I said "Hey, put that back". They turned to look at me, and I repeated that they should return what they had taken. Even though they had looked at me, they ignored me.
Twenty yards along was another set of roadworks with two workers. I stepped over to one and pointed at the two kids. They've taken a shovel and a large piece of concrete, I told him. Who, he asked. He didn't look very bothered. The two kids over there, I pointed. I can't see them, he mumbled. I think they are going to hurt someone, I told him. Where are they? He bobbed up and down trying to see them. Well they are probably half way up the street by now, I snapped at him. I turned pointedly to him and said - they stole your goods, and they will probably hurt someone, aren't you going to do something? He pulled out his phone and started whispering into it, whilst the kids walked off.
I was surprised at myself for telling the two lads off - they could easily have swung the shovel at me. But I was proud of myself in a small way for having a bit of courage - surely we all need to have a bit more of that? Didn't make a blind bit of difference though. But why did nobody else notice. And importantly why was there no police or anyone of authority around in such a busy area?
Finally, a question to you -what else, if anything should I have done? With hindsight I wondered if I should have shouted out and caused a commotion. But what would I have said? "shovel thief, shovel thief!!" I also wondered if I should have pulled out my phone and taken a picture of them (and maybe had it stolen, or got a smack), but would the police have done anything with the picture? I doubt it.
Dear blogosphere - what should you do in such a situation?
It didn't look like they had picked them up to help an old granny with her gardening. It just smacked of stocking them up for violence. I was infuriated. They had committed theft in open daylight, and there appeared to be a violent intent. My high street is extremely busy, and since it is in central London is a well-used part of town. There was no policeman or member of the law anywhere to be seen. Despite worries about my own safety (i'm only little) I said "Hey, put that back". They turned to look at me, and I repeated that they should return what they had taken. Even though they had looked at me, they ignored me.
Twenty yards along was another set of roadworks with two workers. I stepped over to one and pointed at the two kids. They've taken a shovel and a large piece of concrete, I told him. Who, he asked. He didn't look very bothered. The two kids over there, I pointed. I can't see them, he mumbled. I think they are going to hurt someone, I told him. Where are they? He bobbed up and down trying to see them. Well they are probably half way up the street by now, I snapped at him. I turned pointedly to him and said - they stole your goods, and they will probably hurt someone, aren't you going to do something? He pulled out his phone and started whispering into it, whilst the kids walked off.
I was surprised at myself for telling the two lads off - they could easily have swung the shovel at me. But I was proud of myself in a small way for having a bit of courage - surely we all need to have a bit more of that? Didn't make a blind bit of difference though. But why did nobody else notice. And importantly why was there no police or anyone of authority around in such a busy area?
Finally, a question to you -what else, if anything should I have done? With hindsight I wondered if I should have shouted out and caused a commotion. But what would I have said? "shovel thief, shovel thief!!" I also wondered if I should have pulled out my phone and taken a picture of them (and maybe had it stolen, or got a smack), but would the police have done anything with the picture? I doubt it.
Dear blogosphere - what should you do in such a situation?
Labels: british, culture, Integration, personal, social cohesion
posted by Shelina Zahra Janmohamed at 22:08
13 Comments:
As a concerned citizen you did the right thing. Many people shy away when things like this happen, mainlt because society has become a live and let live community.
There is a breakdown of the norm, what you did reinforces the idea that there is a silent majority who will stand up. Surely by reading the example of what you did may make other people think as well.
The problem is - it made no difference whatsoever! Should I have shouted out?
Reverse psychology is the key- "Go on then, take the shovel. I am sure that you will have a great time with it."
"Wit defeats crime!"... I can see the Daily Scream's headline now
you did the right thing. My English grandfather used to tell me stories about the England he grew up in, and it sounded very similar to Syria, where my father is from. In Syria antisocial youths will be told off by any man or woman in the street. As a result, Syria (barring political violence and the threat of Israeli or US attack!!) is far safer and more comfortable than Britain. But Syria is changing too. The key is not unchanging culture, but atomisation, late capitalism, social decay, whatever you want to call it..
www.qunfuz.blogspot.com
The fact you stood up against some form of injustice follows the idea of enjoin good and forbid evil.
Ok you may think it didn't make a difference but you don't know who else had seen the incident and the impression of respect towards you or guilt towards their silence?
Don't be despondent as after all if it happened next time and you didn't do anything then who would you be?
It definitely felt like I was doing the right thing (even though I was quivering in my little girly high heel boots) but I was concerned that the shovel and I might make a sudden aquaintance!
It definitely felt like I was doing the right thing (even though I was quivering in my little girly high heel boots) but I was concerned that the shovel and I might make a sudden aquaintance!
Hasan, you're absolutely right! You have to do the right thing, and then the consequences just have to take care of themselves, you can only do what you can do.
As the Islamic traditions say, if you see oppression/wrongdoing then you should act, if you cannot act then you should speak, and if you cannot speak then at least you should feel sorrow in your heart.
I probably couldn't do much in that situation, but at least I spoke!
And who knows, perhaps the kids went home and remembered that I chided them... Hasan, you've given me hope.
Whilst I wouln't want you to get hurt, I think you did the right thing. I respect you for your courage for standing up for what's right.
Perhaps you could print out this blog and show it to the two workmen, to make the point that their lack of moral or physical courage, by leaving a woman to deal with this on her own, is the subject of a national blog debate - they haven't impressed anyone. Who employs them ? it might be an idea for some of us to write to their employer, so that they can be made to feel the embarrasement of their weakness a little more.
I'm sure I'm not alone in having experienced something like this, so the question in my mind is - how do we change it? It seems to be so woven into our daily lives that it's an immense change that we need.
Where is the problem? How do we improve things?
I'm in the US---but here, if I felt strongly enough about it (and didn't fear too much for my safety), I would have loudly called the police on my cell and kept following the kids until the cops got there---more than likely, though, they would have just dropped the stuff if they heard the cops were contacted.
I'm pretty impressed that you confronted them, though! I've done that kind of thing a few times and it really is scary...
Where is the problem? How do we improve things?
I think the problem is one of an entire attitude shift in this country. We have created a society based on rights and rights alone. People only think in these terms - "my rights", "I'me entitled to..." - but not in terms of responsibility or duty. This is re-enforced by things like the Human Rights Act, which deals in rights alone but not the responsibility to respect other peoples rights. Consequently, people only think in a selfish way now, and not in a reasonable way.
Unfortunately, I can remember both Margaret Thatcher and John Major talking about people taking responsibility, but nothing ever happened, and more recently politicians don't even seem to talk about it.
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