LAWLESSNESS: ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’: Britain Burns, Riots Spread, Mob Mentalities Run Amok Less Than a Week After Police Shoot Criminal

Update August 10, 2011: London riots spread to Midlands and north-west on fourth night of trouble – “Officers were fighting disturbances in Manchester and Birmingham involving hundreds of youths who set fire to shops and smashed store windows… In Birmingham, police clashed with up to 200 looters who attacked shops inside New Street station, closing off much of the city centre. Masked youths roamed the streets smashing windows and setting fire to cars. In Manchester, hundreds of masked and hooded youths gathered in Piccadilly Gardens and threw bricks at officers. A Miss Selfridge clothes shop was set alight while looters broke into a Foot Locker sports store in the Arndale Centre. Some reports said rioters were being allowed to ransack properties without police intervening. Residents claimed gangs were highly organised, with leaders warning them when to move on to avoid officers.” Read more.

Britain Burning: Police Station Firebombed as Police, Civilian Patrols Show Numbers – “The violence and arson attacks that have rattled north London since the weekend have now moved across all parts of the capital and are spreading on a smaller scale to other British cities, the first time the recent unrest has flared outside the U.K.’s capital.

The wave of rioting now entering its third day was sparked by the shooting death of 29-year-old Mark Duggan in the Tottenham section of North London on Thursday. Police have said the man had shot at them first. Angry protesters demonstrated against the fatal shooting in the multi-ethnic neighborhood on Saturday, and the march soon degenerated into chaos.

After spreading across London Monday, violence soon ignited in the British cities of Birmingham, Bristol and Liverpool.

As buildings, vehicles and garbage dumps were being set ablaze, many sections of London have descended into chaos — an unsettling sight less than a year before the 2012 Olympics take over the capital. Two hundred Olympic officials arrive in London on Tuesday for a planned review of 2012 games preparations.” Read more.

Police warn they could use plastic bullets to quell riots tonight as Cameron orders 16,000 officers to regain control of the capital – “Police today admitted they were prepared to use plastic bullets against rioters if a fourth night of lawlessness sees gangs of youths marauding across London and looting businesses. With an ‘unprecedented’ 16,000 police officers due on the streets of London tonight, answers were today being demanded over the failure of police to bring last night’s riots under control. Just hours after David Cameron warned rioters they would face the ‘full force of the law’ shops were boarding up their windows across the capital amid fears of more violence across the capital. Businesses, pubs, schools and even medical centres were sending staff home early.” Read more.

Forced to strip naked in the street: Shocking scenes as rioters steal clothes and rifle through bags as people make their way home – “This is the shocking moment a young man is apparently forced to hand over all of his clothes after appearing to be stripped naked during lawless riots overnight. Internet rumours last night claimed that on top of the widespread destruction across London and Birmingham, people were having their clothes removed by looters as police attempted to contain the criminality. Reports on Twitter claimed some people were being stripped, while another shocking video shows a bleeding teenager being robbed in broad daylight by lawless thugs who pretend to help him to his feet.” Read more.

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