UK rioting and looting
Live coverage as violence spreads throughout London and to other UK cities.
- Good evening, welcome to our live coverage of the third night of rioting in London. Police are again readying themselves for a night of violence and looting. Here's a round-up of the latest developments.
- Youths hurled missiles at police in northeast London on Monday as violence broke out in the capital for a third night.
- Protesters threw bottles, rubbish bins and supermarket trolleys at officers, and police with riot shields responded by charging them as they tried to seal off a busy area around Hackney Central station.
- There were social media reports of disturbances in several other areas of London.
- Crowds of people, many wearing hooded tops, broke into a truck and pulled out planks of wood for use as missiles, a Reuters reporter on the scene said.
- Some of the youths broke shop windows, including that of a Ladbrokes betting shop.
- London has been hit by two nights of violence which erupted on Saturday night in Tottenham, north London, after a protest over the fatal shooting of a man by armed police turned violent.
- Government officials branded rioters who fought police, looted shops and set fire to buildings at the weekend as opportunistic criminals and said the violence, the worst in London for years, would not affect preparations for next summer's Olympic Games.
- Home Secretary Theresa May, who cut short her holiday to take charge of the government response to the riots, said arrests had climbed to 215 and 27 people had been charged.
"Let's be absolutely clear, there is no excuse for violence, there is no excuse for looting, there is no excuse for thuggery," she said.
- Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Kavanagh said the force was putting more officers on the streets in Hackney and other areas on Monday night.
"What we can see is the Metropolitan Police is getting police officers there in numbers, when we have large numbers of criminals intent on that kind of violence," he told the BBC.
- A small group of people had barricaded themselves inside the 110-year-old Hackney Empire theatre where past performers have included Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel.
"We are stuck inside," said one person, who did not give her name, in a telephone conversation with Reuters. - Mayor of London Boris Johnson tweets: "Heading to the airport. Back in London tomorrow lunchtime. This mindless violence must cease."
- Earlier today Reuters' UK and Ireland Bureau Chief Jodie Ginsberg wrote this piece saying a "potent mix of cuts, unemployment could fuel more riots." Read the full story here.
- Reuters correspondent Mohammed Abbas tells us at least one building has been set ablaze in the South London district of Peckham, television footage shows.
- Riots have started in Birmingham. Bullring has closed at 7PM due to "events in the city". McDonalds and other stores smashed in. Lots of poliec around. Search twitter for pictures.
- Thanks for that comment @Ravenatic. Please let us know how things develop.
- At the moment we have heard reports of violence in Hackney in East London, as well as the deprived areas of Peckham and Lewisham. I'm in nearby Clapham, where the local supermarkets have all shut up shop early and lowered their metal barriers. Some independent retailers have boarded up their windows and gone home. I spoke to a member of staff at my local Waitrose, who told me they were closing early on police orders.
Police officers in riot gear drag a man along a street in Hackney in London. REUTERS/Toby Melville
- What is the main reason for these riots? and how many people are involved in it?
- London road and station road croydon closed due to riots
- @Prince - The riots erupted on Saturday night in Tottenham, north London, after a protest over the fatal shooting of a man by armed police turned violent. It's hard to say how many people are involved, but the Home Secretary, Theresa May, says there have been 215 arrests so far.
- Saw an interesting tweet from Jason Burke, saying that TV coverage can help fuel the riots, as with the 2005 French riots. For instance, one gang in one estate sees a rival gang on the TV, so they go out and do some damage themselves. This is also applicable from city to city, he says.
- What's the main reason for these riots?...does there have to be a reason for mindless thuggery. I think it's time the police got tough and called a curfew...
- This is people piggybacking on last nights events. Because they think society owes them something when ironically they owe something to society I.e. Getting a job and working for a living to pay for stuff. Bring in the army
- trouble brewing in Harrow, North-West London, shopping centres there apparently closed
- RT @Greg_B_Design: group of about 30-40 kids, hoods up and faces covered gathered in Falcon Park , Clapham Junction. NOT. GOOD. #LondonRiotscomment by taracbooth via twitter 8/8/2011 6:54:27 PM
- what's this about riots in Birmingham too...?
- @anonlulz - the BBC says there are reports of a standoff between police and youths outside Birmingham Pallasades Shopping Centre. If we hear more, we'll let you know.
- Guardian journalist Paul Lewis on Twitter (@PaulLewis) tweeted: "I'm temporarily pulling out of Penbury Estate. People getting badly injured. #Hackney"
- Only spreading because police are so weak, scared of hurting these criminals, madness, need to tear gas, water cannon these yobs, not going to stop unless they get scared of something!
- I'm not condoning anything, but the #LondonRiots don't surprise me. There's a lot of angry people out there with no stake in society.
A man with his face covered stands near a burning car on a street in Hackney, east London August 8. REUTERS/Toby Melville
- Pretty disgusted there is absolutely no need for this it's stupid mindless violence
- time for the army to get involved i think
- Sirens and helicopters overhead in Lewisham - buses not going through there or Peckham.
- Why can't police introduce curfew and arrest anyone covering their face
- Hope all photo-colleagues are safe tonight. We're not police, we're trying document what's going on... #londonriotscomment by Dan_ via twitter 8/8/2011 7:07:36 PM
- The police dont have a clue, theyre just moving the rioters up one street and down another... bring in the army with water cannon.
- Guardian journalist Paul Lewis in Hackney says rioting much worse than last night
- Should you guys be thinking of moving the Olympic Games to a safer country? I don't really want to be coming to London next year with this type of aggression in the streets. Seems like a really scary place!
- just like 1981 the kids are bored and with no job the world is against them or thats what they see. they carn't see the damage they are creating and wont till they are much older lets hope no one gets killed
- Sorry for my disappearance there, slight technical error. More on the violence in Birmingham from our reporter Mohammed Abbas. He writes: "Attackers smashed shop windows and stole property... police said... the first sign that riots that have gripped London in recent days have spread beyond Britain's capital.
"Several premises in the centre have been attacked with some shop windows smashed and property stolen in various locations," West Midlands police said in a statement." - What a sstupid comment "the kids are bored". Theyre criminals who are attacking people in their cars, attacking local shop owners, setting shops and businesses on fire.
- A potent message which has been going round on Twitter today from @mslulurose: "The Youth of the Middle East rise up for basic freedoms.The Youth of London rise up for a HD ready 42" Plasma TV #londonriots"
- Either bring in the army or vigilante groups will step in
- what damage will this do to the olympics? This needs sorting by the Army NOW
- Where are the politicians?
- @FakeIndian Mayor of London Boris Johnson is on his way back to London, and Home Secretary Theresa May has also cut short her holiday to return to the capital. As we understand it she's in charge of the government's response to the riots.
- The police ought to be perfectly capable of dealing with something like this by themselves before it spreads further. In any sane society the police chiefs' and home secratary's jobs would be in the balance here. But then again, would the Law Courts tolerate them if they took a harder line?
- Acting Commissioner Tim Godwin urges parents to contact children to find out where they are
- BBC says West Croydon is now experiencing skirmishes, and the local station has been closed.
- Met police warn that CCTV images of rioters will be published
- MP Tom Watson points us towards this site curating incidents in Birmingham (we haven't verified its authenticity) birminghamriots2011.tumblr.com
- Here's the latest advice from London's Metropolitan Police:
Looking ahead to this evening the MPS has additional officers on duty throughout the Capital to provide a highly visible and mobile presence on out streets.
The investigation - codenamed Operation Withern - is continuing apace and 215 arrests have been made in total since the disorder started on Saturday. Thousands of hours of CCTV are being reviewed by the team.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Kavanagh said: "Our officers are out on duty across London, and we have extra resources policing the Capital. We will continue with this additional policing for as long as is necessary.
"Let me make it clear that people who are using current events as an excuse or cover to break the law, steal, attack police officers and cause fear to Londoners will not be tolerated by the vast majority of Londoners and us.
"Our investigation, which is massive in scope, is continuing. We are liaising with businesses and communities across London, including at a borough level to keep people up to date with what we are doing.
"I would ask Londoners if you know anything that may help us please get in touch with us via 020 8345 4142." - Peter Truman from Croydon Guardian speaking on current Croydon rioting on BBC News channel:
20-30 people attacking police at a time
Skirmishes for last two or so hours
Main centre of violence around North End, where high st. chain shops are
Police cordon at West Croydon station
Predominantly teenagers
Total number of rioters close to probably 200
Motorbikes, push bikes seen used by rioters and many are armed
Attackers will run off into back streets, reconvene and then charge again
Maplin store attacked, Argos attacked, people making off with goods
Whole of West Croydon locked down by around 3pm
- Recent Liveblogs
- Who's Blogging
-
Reuters_RossChainey
Reuters_YeshaShah
Reuters_Jillian Kitchener
Reuters_Helen Cook
Julie Mollins
Stephanie Ditta
josh.turk
Jeremy Schultz
Katharine Herrup
natalie.armstrong
Reuters_IreneKuan
Shadia Ismail
Terrine Friday
Reuters: Mark Kolmar
anthony.derosa
Imran Khan's party wins revote in Karachi, protests expected
ISLAMABAD - Cricket hero Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf party won a revote in an upmarket constituency of Karachi on Sunday, unofficial results showed, a day after gunmen killed a party leader, setting the stage for protests and counter-protests.
- North Korea fires fifth missile in three days
- Thirty Hezbollah fighters killed in Syrian town - activists
- Chinese Premier Li seeks trust in India, border issue irks
- Car bombs kill at least 31 in Iraq
- Gunmen storm Egyptian security post in lawless Sinai Peninsula
- Obama walks a fine line with Myanmar president's landmark visit
- Venezuela says taking steps to restore U.S. diplomatic ties
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
