Protesters take over London

Kenyans in the United Kingdom are living in fear following race riots mainly in London.

The widespread disorder, which started in Tottenham, London, on Saturday, have spread to Walthamstow, Brixton, Oxford Circus, Islington, Hackney, Birmingham, Croydon, Seven Sisters and Bristol.

“Businesses at my shopping centre are all closed as some rioters have informed us that they will be coming here tonight (Tuesday),” Brenda Atieno from West Drayton, West of London, told the Nation.

She said the police assured them that they will send 16,000 officers, but did not say in which specific places. She, however, did not have a lot of faith in the assurances.

“The demonstrations, which led to the riots, were to protest the killing of a civilian by the police. I do not envisage them using any force on the rioters,” Ms Atieno said.

She had planned to go to Uxbridge, Northwest of London, to follow up on a business prospect, but was forced to stay home for the evening.

“They are burning buses and cars- people are having a hard time trying to get to work or move around,” she said.

Mr Mugambi Laibuta, Master of Laws student at London School of Economics, who lives in North London, told the Nation that as the violence continued to rock major UK towns, Kenyans in the affected areas have been forced to seek refuge in quieter neighbourhoods.

“I live in North London - Hendon Central and school is in Central London and I have been lucky not to have experienced any problems for now,” he said.

However, as a precaution, Mr Laibuta on Tuesday went to the school library via the underground train.

“The thugs are using social media to plan where to attack next,” he said.

Mr Laibuta said he had planned to attend the friendly match between England and Holland tonight at Wembley but officials called it off due to the violence.

Ms Michelle Achieng’, who lives in Crowthorne, Reading, is thankful that the violence has not spread to her area.

“The momentum of the riots has escalated and now it seems school going children, who are currently on holiday, are taking advantage of the situation and using social networks to plan which shops to loot,” she told the Nation.

Peaceful demonstration

She does not understand how what started off as a peaceful demonstration in Tottenham has sparked widespread disruption of peace.

Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary Theresa May have been forced to cut short their summer holidays and rush back home.

Parliament is also being recalled on Thursday to debate the crisis.

Police and the government in general are treating the unrest as common crime.

But the rioters are from minority groups, especially blacks, who feel excluded from society and discriminated against by police.