Brit mall bans 'hoodies' in latest effort to control crime

[gunssb]

Hehe. Ban this, ban that - the Brits never get tired of this stuff. I know some gangsta wannabes wear hoodies but this is hilarious. Thugs also wear ski masks...hmm, ski mask = criminal right ? Yup, yup no mo ski masks. That should take care of crime How about just bringing these kids down...hard

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Targeting badly behaved Britons
Mall bans 'hoodies' in latest effort to curb yob culture

By Jennifer Carlile
Reporter
MSNBC
Updated: 2:29 p.m. ET May 18, 2005

BLUEWATER SHOPPING CENTER, England - Although accustomed for decades to violence from "yobs" and football hooligans, Britain is stepping up its fight against what's been dubbed an epidemic of antisocial behavior.

The perpetrators of the thuggery have been identified as "hoodies," young people who wear hoods and caps to avoid detection and give off a threatening image.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has made banishment of this street crime a priority for his third term of office, while one of his closest aides has disclosed a scary encounter with the teenage gangs that roam Britain's urban areas.

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who once launched a fierce left hook to retaliate for a thrown egg during an election campaign, described his alarm at being accosted by a large group of hooded youths.

“I went to a motorway café about a year ago and some kid said something to me,” he said. “I said ‘what did you say?’ and he came back with 10 people with hoods, you know, these fellas with hoods on.

“He came at me in a very intimidating manner,” the 66-year-old said.

Prescott, who was rescued from any possible attack by his security detail, is one of the big supporters of Blair's decision to focus on street crime.

'Uniform' for thugs and degenerates
Although gun crime here pales when compared with the United States, binge-drinking, street brawls, vandalism, muggings, and general menace are seen to be terrorizing the public.

The United Kingdom is the most-monitored nation in the world, with more than 4 million closed-circuit television cameras operating around the country. But culprits frequently evade Big Brother’s watchful eye by concealing their identities with the ubiquitous head wear.

"I think the fact you go around with these hats and these covers... I mean, it is a uniform, in a sense," Prescott said last week.

As a result, a large shopping center in southeast England offered a new tact by implementing a "code of conduct" that includes a ban on the wearing of "hoodies."

The 330-store Bluewater center in Kent drew up the code of conduct to outline its “zero tolerance approach to antisocial behavior” following consultations with guests and staff.

In addition to banning head coverings (other than those used for religious purposes) and swearing, “groups of more than five without the intention to shop will be asked to leave the center,” the mall’s leaflet says.

Blair last week praised the initiative. “This type of disrespect and yobbish behavior will not be tolerated any more,” he said.

“I think it’s marvelous,” Bluewater shopper Jill Hopper said of the initiative this week.

“It’s such a pleasant atmosphere here; you don’t want a whole group of hoodies coming around — it’s great they’re taking these kids on,” the 46-year-old said.

“They do intimidate some people and that’s their aim,” said 27-year-old shopper Adam Cropper.

His girlfriend Laura Thomas, 23, added, “They’re all quite young and trying to act older … they wear (hoods) to make people think they’re stealing even if they don’t have the balls to do it, it’s all part of their act."

Cropper, a doorman, and Thomas, a bar manager, both added that they would like to see a complete ban on caps and hoods in city centers.

Tackling antisocial behavior
Bluewater’s code of conduct follows in the footsteps of other government and private initiatives to quash hooliganism that include:

* Handing out antisocial behavior orders (ASBOS), some of which bar offending youths from entering city centers or visiting former partners in crime.
* Passing out yellow and red cards in a warning system similar to that used on the soccer field.
* Giving away chocolate to prevent alcohol-fueled violence.
* Banning the designer label Burberry (an apparent favorite with teen gangs) from some bars and clubs.

Blair’s new minister for antisocial behavior, Hazel Blears, also suggested this week that teenage offenders wear uniforms while carrying out community punishments to shame them publicly and show the community that something is being done to reprimand them.

"I want them to be identified," Blears told the Observer.

While some of these measures may sound odd, the government and private venues are in a sticky situation.

Many “antisocials” are under 18 and know they can’t be prosecuted as harshly as adults. And, while the combination of loud music, graffiti, brawling, drunkenness, and petty theft have serious affects on communities, few single crimes carry heavy punishments.

[Habakkuk21]

If I'm not mistaken, one of the tools used to fight the Klan was banning the full-face hoods worn at the time.

[Big Dog]

Dang, this give's new meaning to the term, "fashion police".

Silly knee-jerk Liberal reaction - ban how they dress, not what they do.

How about the time honored tradition of a couple burly security guards 'duckwalk' the offender out the door? Ban them from the premises, and arrest them if they come back. Used to work in our local Mall. :right:

[Thrawn]

Originally Posted by Effective Crime Stopping British

* Handing out antisocial behavior orders (ASBOS), some of which bar offending youths from entering city centers or visiting former partners in crime.
* Passing out yellow and red cards in a warning system similar to that used on the soccer field.
* Giving away chocolate to prevent alcohol-fueled violence.
* Banning the designer label Burberry (an apparent favorite with teen gangs) from some bars and clubs.

Well! Does'nt it sound like them chaps got a good plan? I say, bloody good show!:cheer:

[Thrawn]

If it's that bad, just taser everyone you see who's wearing a hoodie. Then you might get the kids to quit wearing the hoods. :right:

[Gunnie Ed]

belive it or not, this is a serious blow to the UK version of Gangstas, called "Chavs."


they're basically british "Urban dwellers of underpriviladged areas."

i could probably make that more PC, but i won't.

[Rave]

Check out BET if you want to see examples of hoodies,it's just music videos,but it is interesting and informative if one wants to see what turns our youth on today,well at least some,you can also see them at your local mall after dark,quite a show.

[SPOCAHP ANAR]

Why not ban teens.

Most malls have loitering laws. I have seen mall security go aroung and tell youth to keep from loitering. If they stop and hang out in the hall they are told to move on.

[gunssb]

Originally Posted by SPOCAHP ANAR

Why not ban teens.

Because malls have been almost traditional hang out places for teens There should be a law against those teenage kids' vocabularies though - all I hear is "bla like bla like bla bla like" and "dude..abc...that's so cool duude"

[ducktapehero]

How asinine. Yet right in step with the modern new age "liberal" thinking.