A picture speaks a thousand words

It’s a crazy sort of world we live in.

Last night I was in Tottenham to celebrate a friend’s simcha, not too far from the place that the riots had taken place only a few nights earlier. Somebody suggested I take a ride to witness first hand the devastation left by those riots.I declined, since I was with my wife and three kids in the car- it wasn’t a risk worth taking.

But what really gets me is the picture I have posted above. You can follow the link and watch the You Tube video of Chassidim running desperately from a police charge.

http://www.gruntig.net/search?updated-max=2011-08-08T11%3A42%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=10

The question is what were they doing there to begin with?

I spoke to a member of the Stamford Hill/ Tottenham Jewish community police liaison who told me that as he stood on the police side of the riot he did notice a number of Chassidim in the crowd.

What were they doing there?

“Beats me”

Here are two theories:

1. They were joining the hooligans and thugs in their riot and looting of the nearby shops- and like many they were taking advantage of the situation.
2. They wanted a piece of the action. And what better place to witness it than from the front row seats down the road. After all they don’t have their own Televisions from which to view the riots.

I think it was the second reason. Whatever it is they should not have been there and brings our community (the entire Jewish community) into disrepute through their actions. It should be condemned by their leaders in the strongest possible terms!