After Meadows violence, bricks thrown at buses and bicycle mayhem, this lefty pinko has had it up to here with today's misguided youth – Susan Morrison

Under entirely understandable circumstances, I have drop-kicked a laptop, thumped a washing machine and headbutted my own car.
Violence broke out after huge crowds of boozy teenagers gathered at Edinburgh's Meadows (Picture: Anna Koslerova/SWNS.com)Violence broke out after huge crowds of boozy teenagers gathered at Edinburgh's Meadows (Picture: Anna Koslerova/SWNS.com)
Violence broke out after huge crowds of boozy teenagers gathered at Edinburgh's Meadows (Picture: Anna Koslerova/SWNS.com)

They were all largely pointless temper tantrums and all backfired. The laptop needed expensive repair, the washing machine didn’t magically start and the car, well, it was me that landed up damaged. There's still a scar under my hairline.

Enraged or otherwise, I’ve never launched a brick at a bus. Why would you even want to? Buses are reliable, safe and get you home at night.

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When young people are caught chucking bricks at buses, lefty pinkos like me have been known to cluck about society and how we are letting the youth of today down.

When mobs rampage the Meadows, we’ve been known to purse our lips and tut about the failure of the state. When lads on Just Eat bikes race on the pavements, we’ve furrowed brows and pontificated about improving education.

Well, this lefty has had enough. There are workers on those buses and trams, families who want to enjoy our green spaces without fear and old folks who can’t leap clear from the pelotons of racing demons on knocked-off bikes.

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Some blame the parents. If this is how the kids behave in public, what sort of example have they at home? When you raise a child to be an ill-mannered, arrogant, inconsiderate giant toddler with anger management issues, it’s not toy buses that get smashed up.

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You can’t blame mum and dad forever. Perhaps it's time we just suggested these destructive young adults developed some manners, or took the grown-up decision to emulate the many amazing young people in this city who don’t use wrecking sprees as entertainment.

Heavens, have I become that mad old bird calling for “two years in the army and a short haircut”? Mind you, the Army doesn’t want them.

Perhaps I’d settle for two months with a litter pick, or seeing them work in a kitchen helping the homeless.

Might not be a bad idea for these Princes of Chaos to see how people who’ve really been let down by the state survive.

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