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posted by martyb on Thursday July 27 2017, @05:49AM   Printer-friendly
from the looking-for-something-basic dept.

Acid attacks in the UK are becoming increasingly common. The reason is simple but the timing isn't. In the UK, guns are generally illegal and gun ownership is more of a touchy subject than in the US. I understand that criminals with guns receive a mandatory five year prison sentence. Strict gun control has pushed most criminals to knives. However, after mandatory sentences for knife ownership, criminals are now choosing to injure victims with acid.

Although gun and knife injuries may require extensive rehabilitation, partial recovery from acid attack may be more costly. One victim required 40 operations and continues to receive frequent, lifelong surgery to alleviate complications such as scar tissue on windpipe.

Attackers and victims have a wide variety of backgrounds. In a very English manner, two attackers who were obviously paid, said sorry before attacking one victim. One attacker was a very minor celebrity before and after attacking people in a nightclub and there have been numerous attacks in Scotland. Some incidents are "honor" attacks among immigrants who, for whatever reason, fail to assimilate. However, there has been an increase in acid attacks among ethnic minorities in East London.

The BBC reports that:

The Met Police is "seeing some links" between criminal gangs and the recent spike in acid attacks in London, a senior officer has said.

Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey said the force was "seeing a move across" to gang members using acid and corrosive fluids in attacks.

But he cautioned evidence was limited as "it's a small data set".

On Monday, MPs debated measures, including tougher sentences, for attacks involving corrosive substances.

The government has also proposed classifying such substances as dangerous weapons.

The deputy commissioner supported efforts to tackle the issue, saying some of the substances are "not even defined by law".

"The impact this sort of attack has on people is extraordinary," he said.

"Many of us have been unfortunate to see quite a bit in our services but acid attacks are really extraordinary and strike at something quite horrific in people's psyche."

Although many incidences are inter-gang attacks (or a brief campaign against food delivery), there are also incidences where acid attack occurs in conjunction with robbery. One pernicious trend is around moped and scooters which are relatively cheap, relatively fast and cut through traffic. They are relatively easy to steal and it is almost impossible to halt a theft in progress. Well, moped crime now occurs in conjunction with acid attack. Variants include using acid to steal a moped from a rider and using a moped to exit the scene of an acid attack.

London police now have 1000 anti-acid kits and every police car will carry 5 liters of water. Although this is useful for acid attacks against police, it does nothing to halt worsening injuries prior to emergency response. This is of particular concern when acceptable response time for emergency services is re-defined in response to failing targets. The most recent incident, which occurred within 100 metres of the local fire department, incurred a 20 minute response from police.

Although there is a strong political reaction that something must be done, these incidences overshadow a police pursuit death in the vicinity which has similarities to a death in 2011 which sparked rioting in multiple English cities.


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  • (Score: 0, Troll) by linkdude64 on Friday July 28 2017, @01:00AM (5 children)

    by linkdude64 (5482) on Friday July 28 2017, @01:00AM (#545553)

    "That person won't be able to get a job because the employer knows that the employer's medical costs will increase,"

    This will only be a problem if the person's employer is forced to provide medical insurance, per Obamacare. :)

    "and the government won't provide insurance, so, what then? Just let the person die, I suppose? "

    Or, let them live with their disfigured appearance. Emergency rooms in the US have to save people's lives if they enter (This has resulted in many many emergency rooms in my area closing due to saturation with illegal immigrants. These aren't statistics. I personally saw hundreds of mexicans who did not speak English standing in line for the Emergency room for things like children's colds, fevers, etc. several times before that Emergency Room closed a couple years later.)

    Cosmetic surgery should not be forced on taxpayers. It is sad, but it is WRONG to take money from people without their consent to help another person's self-esteem.

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  • (Score: 2) by Whoever on Friday July 28 2017, @01:39AM (4 children)

    by Whoever (4524) on Friday July 28 2017, @01:39AM (#545561) Journal

    This isn't cosmetic surgery, idiot!

    Or, let them live with their disfigured appearance. Emergency rooms in the US have to save people's lives if they enter (This has resulted in many many emergency rooms in my area closing due to saturation with illegal immigrants. These aren't statistics. I personally saw hundreds of mexicans who did not speak English standing in line for the Emergency room for things like children's colds, fevers, etc. several times before that Emergency Room closed a couple years later.)

    Did it ever enter the tiny thought processes in your mind that, if the US provided universal healthcare, people would not have to go to emergency rooms for basic healthcare?

    • (Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Friday July 28 2017, @09:55PM

      by linkdude64 (5482) on Friday July 28 2017, @09:55PM (#545994)

      Doctors have an obligation to save their lives and nothing more.

      "if the US provided universal healthcare, people would not have to go to emergency rooms for basic healthcare?"

      When your kid has a fever of 105F and the next available appointment with a doctor is 3 days from now because the hospital is swamped, yes, you will go to the Emergency Room. Did you ever consider that?

    • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by linkdude64 on Friday July 28 2017, @09:56PM (2 children)

      by linkdude64 (5482) on Friday July 28 2017, @09:56PM (#545995)

      and way to go modding me Troll, if that was you, for simply disagreeing with me. The fucking audacity of your political cohorts is what cost you the election, what cost this country trillions of dollars, and is what will cost your side much more in the future.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 28 2017, @11:35PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 28 2017, @11:35PM (#546037)

        I modded you down, not because I disagree with you, but because you are wrong! How do I know that? You are linkdude64, are you not? Have you ever, to anyone but your own knowledge, been right about anything? Immanuel Kant once said that the motto of the Enlightenment was "Sapere aude!" Have the audacity to think. You might try it, and you might find people would appreciate you better.

        • (Score: 2) by linkdude64 on Sunday July 30 2017, @09:40PM

          by linkdude64 (5482) on Sunday July 30 2017, @09:40PM (#546838)

          Ah, the AC. Cowardice is yet another virtue of yours which will continue to serve us well.