Gangs of London

I was attacked by 11 year old boys on a bus. I'm starting to really hate this city.

Heading to HR2's house for a night of drinking with her and her roommates, I almost didn't go. I still had homework to do and no money to spend but I needed to get out. If only for a bit. And whats the harm in that? So I get on the bus and I'm a few stops into my journey when all the sudden this gang of 11 year old boys (maybe younger or older) appear in hysterics about how they had just got away with something. They banged on the window at some poor soul outside screaming obscenities.
One of them boasted "I hit him with a rock."
Another asks "Where?"
He thinks for a moment "His head."
All of them burst out laughing.
"I can't believe we got away!" and they go on joking and laughing as a boys do.

As the bus drives along they continue to heckle people outside banging on the glass. Then all the sudden they stop. The silence is eerie. I think - what's happening? Because I'm at the front of the bus, and they are behind me. It's a double Decker, and we are up top. But I know they didn't leave. I heard whispers and then suddenly out of nowhere something goes flying by my head. Aimed for me. I turn around for the first time at the monsters and they look up, wide eyed but not so innocent. Pointing to each other. "He did it." "What are you looking at"
Then a girl, around sixteen gets off. "You guys are disrespectful" she says and leaves.
They remain staring me down. Once she disappears down the stairs they begin with their evil faces. "What!"

And this is when I could have turned around but I couldn't because I didn't trust them. I knew they would have kept chucking things at my head until they got it right. Who knows what else they had with them?

So I said "What's your problem."
This gets them started.
They charge toward me. In my face.
I say 'I'll call the cops'' and the ring leader, smug says in his broken hackney accent ''My dad is a cop. What's he going to do? Nothing!"
And I tell him that explains his behavioral problems.
One of them pulls my hair so I aim to smack him but he doges and I hit another one instead. The boy I hit looks stunned, probably the first time some one defended themselves against them. It was a light smack on the shoulder but probably the only discipline these boys have ever had. (But once I'm being physically attacked I don't care how old you are, what you are, I'm defending myself and attacking back. )

I yell at them to get off the bus that I'd call the cops anyway. But one of them says 'this is our stop." And they all agree and run off yelling "Spaz" "Call the cops" and go on about how they got away.... again.

The Bus drives off and I'm shaking with anger. How can some one let there kid do this? Run around like animals attacking stranger's? And it made me think of Edward Bonds Play "Saved" were the teens stone a baby to death in the carriage. That's what these boys were. Right now it's people's heads but what will it be tomorrow? No one is stopping them. The bus driver heard everything and kept on. No other adult on the bus stepped in. They got away onto their next victim.

London says it has a problem with teen gangs and violence but that's because they let it happen. Watch it start at eleven until they're a few years old, stronger and more daring because no one ever said no. Everyone turns a blind eye. That's how it happens. They should have learned that by now. Doing nothing is the same as giving permission to let something happen.