But there's no doubt that the last few days have been a collective shock to the all of us in this great city. So it was with relief that I heard of the broomstick army of Clapham (aka riotwombles).
Stirred by the sights of mayhem on TV the good citizens of London starting tweeting to #riotcleanup and what started as a couple of activities led to hundreds descending on the glass and rubble covered streets around Clapham Junction.
With more broomsticks than Hogwarts this corner of the capital was soon tidied up, as were other boroughs after similar acts of community spirit. More on the broom as a symbol of London's - and England's - resilience here.
In comparison to this heart-warming tale, the first court cases for looters have started to flood the legal system, including this one. Alexis Bailey, 31, pleaded guilty after being caught looting the Richer Sounds store in Croydon.
His job - "learning mentor" in a primary school! (in Lambeth - natch)
One of these stories is inspirational; the other does raise all sorts of troubling questions.
