In the middle-class riots, I mean students, May Day, etc, the idea of rioting as a pastime was established, you could smash in a McDonalds, say it was "political" and pretty much get away Scot free. Those people, who were only really doing for the lulz, hated being kettled, so they had the practice banned. But was OK to smash up the centre of town then retire to the safety of gentrified Stoke Newington.

Now those same middle class people are crying out for the police to protect them - and the one police tactic that's effective in quelling a riot they can't use! That's irony.