Between 6 and 10 August 2011, several
London boroughs and districts of cities and towns across England suffered widespread
rioting,
looting and
arson where thousands took to the streets.
The first night of rioting took place on 7 August 2011 after a protest in Tottenham, following the
death of Mark Duggan, a local man from the area, who was shot dead by police on 4 August 2011.
[13] The immediate spark for violence was when large numbers of police arrived to disperse the demonstration. Several violent clashes with police, along with the destruction of police vehicles, magistrates' court, a double-decker bus, many civilian homes and businesses, began gaining attention from the media. Overnight, looting took place in
Tottenham Hale Retail Park and nearby
Wood Green.
The following days saw similar scenes in other parts of London with the worst violence taking place in
Hackney,
Brixton,
Chingford,
Peckham,
Enfield,
Battersea,
Croydon,
Ealing and
East Ham, Oxford Circus.
From 8 until 10 August, other cities in England including
Birmingham,
Bristol,
Liverpool, and
Manchester, along with several towns, saw what was described by the media as 'copycat violence'.
The riots were characterised by rampant looting and arson attacks of unprecedented levels. As a result,
British Prime Minister David Cameron returned early from his holiday in Italy and other
government and
opposition leaders also ended their holidays to attend to the matter. All police leave was cancelled and
Parliament was recalled on 11 August to debate the situation.
As of 15 August, about 3,100 people had been arrested, of whom more than 1,000 had been charged.
[14] Arrests, charges and court proceedings continue. Initially, courts sat for extended hours. There were a total 3,443 crimes across London linked to the disorder.
[15] Emergency calls on Monday night saw a 300% increase, from 5,400 normally to 20,800.
Along with the five deaths, at least 16 others were injured as a direct result of related violent acts. An estimated
£200 million worth of property damage was incurred, and local economic activity was significantly compromised.