| “…85% said policing was an ‘important’ or ‘very important’ factor in why the riots happened.” “…the free message service available on BlackBerry phones – known as BBM – was used extensively to communicate, share information and plan in advance of riots.” “The focus of much resentment was police use of stop and search, which was felt to be unfairly targeted and often undertaken in an aggressive and discourteous manner.” “Although mainly young and male, those involved in the riots came from a cross-section of local communities. Just under half of those interviewed in the study were students. Of those who were not in education 59% were unemployed. Although half of those interviewed were black, those involved did not consider these ‘race riots’.” “They often described the riots as a chance to obtain ‘free stuff’.” “59% of the rioters came from the most deprived 20% of areas in the UK.” “Rioters identified a number of other motivating grievances from the increase in tuition fees, to the closure of youth services and the scrapping of the education maintenance allowance.” “Many complained about perceived social and economic injustice.” “More than four fifths (81%) of those interviewed said that they thought the riots would happen again.” | 