Twitter users overwhelmingly focused on the U.K. riots last week, and many of them were highly angered by and critical of the chaos. While much of the mainstream news coverage involved an exploration of the causes of the anger behind the riots, social media users were much more intent on denouncing the destruction that left five people dead, more than 3,100 arrested and an estimated £200 million worth of property damage
For the week of August 8-12, the British riots were by far the most discussed subject on Twitter, according to the New Media Index from the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism. The subject was so dominant that it was among the top five stories each day last week and appeared on the top story lists six times more often than the next largest subject, Twitter itself.
In addition, the five most popular news-related videos on YouTube last week were all related to the riots.
This report marks the second week of PEJ’s new methodology for determining the most discussed stories in social media. (For a detailed explanation of the process, click here.) In addition, this analysis of Twitter utilizes computer technology from the media monitoring firm Crimson Hexagon that was used to examine the key components of the Twitter conversation during the seven days following the start of the riots.
The unrest, which lasted five days, began during an August 6 protest outside a Tottenham police station following the death of Mark Duggan, who was shot and killed two days earlier by police during an investigation into crime in the black community. After several hours of protests, violence and looting broke out. Some present said the impetus for the rioting was an incident involving a 16-year-old woman who confronted police, but was attacked with shields and batons. Others attributed it to a more aggressive crowd that arrived after the initial protest.
The analysis using Crimson Hexagon found there was little concern about the causes of the riots and the possible grievances of those involved. Indeed, that accounted for only 8% of the conversation on Twitter.
By contrast, 42% of the conversation on Twitter was critical of what was taking place. Less than a third, 30%, was made up of neutral comments or straight details without injecting opinion.
On Twitter, where users are limited to 140 characters, tweets typically involve the passing along of information and news. However, in this instance, there was far more condemnation than the straight conveyance of details.
“Low lifes in north london rioting, how stupid are these people, they’re causing destruction to other life!” declared Chloe Short.*
“Riot implies some sort of cause, whereas this is just hooliganism and looting. Let’s not dignify these cretins without a cause,” posted @redndead.
Riots in the U.K.
Several popular links helped spark the Twitter conversation about the rioting last week. One was a pictorial on the Boston Globe web site showing images of the clashes with police and the ongoing destruction. Another was a BBC report that quoted two participants as saying they were involved because they were showing police and “the rich” that “we can do what we want.”
Also popular was a YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Gex_ya4-Oo” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>video showing looters pretending to help an injured student while also stealing things out of his backpack. Other Twitter users linked to a blog post by journalist Laurie Penny, who wrote about being trapped in her house, and a column by Peter Oborne, the Daily Telegraph’s chief political commentator, who stated it was hypocritical for members of the British political class to assert they had nothing to do with the causes of the riots when moral decay at the top of society is quite prevalent.
Many of the Twitter comments called for swift action against those involved.
“It’s beyond a joke,” declared Ian Abrahams. “Police & army need to act with a heavy hand – water cannon, bullets whatever will end this lawlessness.”
“Seriously, declare a curfew time, anybody out after that gets filled in, fair game for the riot squad. This is robbing not protesting!!!!” advised Joseph Barton.
Others expressed fear.
“I’m really scared and I don’t even live in london…god knows how the people of london feel,worried if the riot will start at their road,” tweeted Jake Collins.
About a third of the negative conversation included direct pleas for the chaos to end.
“It’s sickening what’s happening in London. The riots need to stop,” proclaimed Shizzlewizzle.
“Everyone in London i hope you’re all ok please be careful and stay safe and i hope the riots stop soon♥ You’re in our thoughts,” shared Rachel Merrygold.
While a much smaller presence, there were some who empathized with those taking part in the riots.
“What about the 16 year old girl who was attacked by the police shortly before crowds charged the police & started to riot on Saturday,” asked Lataya Sinister.
“It is not just its damaged youth, but Britain itself that needs a moral reformation,” wrote Vicky Smith with a link to Oborne’s piece in the Telegraph.
“Well-off communities don’t riot,” wrote Peter Tatchell. “#Riots occur in deprived areas. Mere coincidence? I don’t think so. Injustice > riots.”
YouTube
The U.K. riots also dominated attention on the video sharing site YouTube last week. All five of the most watched videos focused on the chaos.
The top video showed a group of men in East London pretending to help a 20-year-old Malaysian student named Ashraf Haziq, who was reeling from an earlier attack, while they simultaneously stole items from his backpack. One man, Reece Donovan, has been charged with robbery in connection with the August 8 incident.
The No. 2 video features an August 9 BBC interview with West Indian writer and broadcaster
