The disturbing reaction to the Hither Green ‘burglar’ stabbing

A black youth living in London might be forgiven for a bit of confusion this morning. All week we have been hearing about the dreadful spate in knife killings on London streets, most of them, it is painfully obvious from the victims’ photographs and the locations, have taken place in black communities. We have heard calls for more stop and search, a clampdown on anyone caught carrying a knife, for youths to be educated in how to channel their anger in order to prevent their emotions erupting into murderous intent. Then an elderly white man stabs an intruder to death and we wake up to headlines such as “give him a medal” and “‘Murder’ fury – petition launched to clear ‘hero’ OAP arrested over ‘burglar murder’”. And that is just the newspapers. Dozens of Tweeters have leapt in with their own ha’porth of wisdom under the hashtag #FreeRichardOsbornBrooks, with some seeming to suggest that every property-owner has the right to snuff out the life of anyone who steps onto their property, no questions asked.