Community: Real Life

I spoke up for young people during the 2011 riots

The media and politicians queued up to blame Britain's supposedly 'feral' youth for the 2011 London riots, but young people were given little chance to defend themselves until a 20-year-old student called Yohanes Scarlett decided to speak up.

Yohanes

"I was on my way back from seeing some friends in Bournemouth when I started to get the first BBM messages saying there were going to be riots that night. Some messages even told you where to meet if you wanted to get involved. I told everyone to go home and read a book, but some people I know did end up joining in.

The morning after the first riots, when I turned on the TV, I was shocked. All I saw was the BBC and other news outlets recycling the same images of young people in hoods, calling them 'feral youth' and criminals. I decided to act because I felt the news was demonising young people without giving us a chance to talk about the reasons for the riots. So I emailed the BBC politics programme Newsnight and told them I thought it was wrong they were giving such a one-dimensional view.

"We all knew something big was going to happen"

I don't condone the riots in any way, but I understand there must be a reason why they happened - everything has a cause. Many young people feel totally hopeless and as though there are no opportunities. Though I didn't know there was going to be a riot, we all knew something big was going to happen; people had been talking about it for a while.

The only option if you can't get a job is benefits, but young people don't like to go on benefits - they want money, and they want status. The only people who offer that where I live are the drug dealers. For many people my age, that lifestyle is so much more attractive than either benefits or a crappy low-paid job.

I'd only been on TV once in my whole life

To my surprise, Newsnight emailed me back and said they wanted to speak to someone involved with the riots. Hardly anyone I know would talk, but a friend who'd gone along but hadn't done any looting agreed to talk on camera, as long as he could wear a mask. The BBC came over and filmed him. Then they asked if I'd like to appear on Newsnight that night. I'd only ever been on TV once before - when I was 13, on Newsround - but I'm studying politics at university and like debating, so I thought I'd be good at it.

"I'm glad I spoke up for my generation when I had the chance."

They said they'd send a taxi, but the BBC studios are round the corner from my house, so I just walked with some friends. When I got there, they took me to the green room, where I met Harriet Harman (MP for Camberwell and Peckham). Luckily I knew who she was and we had a good chat. Then we went through to the studio where I was introduced to the other guests: Kelvin MacKenzie, former editor of The Sun, Lyn Costello from Mothers Against Murder and Aggression, and rapper, Reveal.

Saying it on camera

Before the cameras were switched on, Kelvin MacKenzie was being nice and told me not to be nervous. But as soon as the debate stated, he completely changed. I was really surprised - he kept shouting over me and, though I tried to say my piece, it was almost impossible (you can see how I did here). After the show he went back to being friendly. It felt to me like he just wanted to make good telly, whereas I wanted to change things.

I saw the clip of my friend and was shocked to see they'd edited out his opening statement about why the riots happened. It was like no one wanted to consider why young people were doing this. I was really angry, so I said something. This later got picked up on a blog and started another discussion about how young people are marginalised by the media. I don't think the BBC was too pleased with that (you can see their response at the bottom of the blog), but my mum and dad always brought me up to believe that if you have something to say, you should say it.

Having a voice

After going on Newsnight, everything changed. I was asked back by the BBC to appear on other shows, and then Channel 4 asked me to appear on another live debate about the riots. A friend of mine set up a twitter account so journalists could contact me - I didn't even have one before.

I'm glad I spoke up for my generation when I had the chance. I think everyone in society complains to each other all the time, but we don't complain enough to the people who can change things. Everyone says politicians don't listen, but perhaps if people spoke up more they would.

Updated: 03/02/2012


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