Rioting broke out in the north London neighbourhood of Tottenham on Saturday night. The riots came in reaction to the death of a 29-year old man, Mark Duggan, who was killed in an apparent gunfight by police.
A wave of violence and looting raged across London and spread to three other major British cities on Tuesday, as authorities struggled to contain the country's worst unrest since race riots set the capital ablaze in the 1980s.
Fire crews try to extinguish a burning 140 year old furniture store in Croydon, South London on August 8, 2011. Now in its third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Numerous buildings were set on fire in Croydon as hundreds of looters plundered high street shops of their goods. (AFP Photo)
Riot police tackle a mob after a number of cars are set alight in Hackney, north London on 8 August 2011. Now in its third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Two police cars and a large number of buildings were on Saturday set ablaze in Tottenham, north London following a protest over the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man in an armed stand-off with officers. The patrol cars were torched as dozens gathered outside the police station on the High Road in Tottenham. (AFP Photo)
The burnt remains of a building in Tottenham are pictured after rioting on Saturday night in London, on August 8, 2011. Police said Monday they had arrested 100 people in a second night of rioting in London, condemning it as "copycat" disorder following weekend unrest sparked by the death of a man in a police shooting. As violence which rocked the multi-ethnic northern district of Tottenham on Saturday spread to other districts of the capital, doubts emerged over the original version the shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan, with suggestions that officers were not under attack when they opened fire. (AFP Photo)
Riot police stand guard next to a burnt-out car in Hackney, north London on 8 August 2011. Now in its third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Two police cars and a large number of buildings were on Saturday set ablaze in Tottenham, north London following a protest over the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man in an armed stand-off with officers. The patrol cars were torched as dozens gathered outside the police station on the High Road in Tottenham. (AFP Photo)
Riot police face a mob in Hackney, north London on August 8, 2011. Riot police faced off with youths in fresh violence in London today in the third day of disorder after some of the worst rioting in the British capital in years at the weekend. The riots broke out in the north London district of Tottenham on August 6, following a protest against the death of a local man in a police shooting last week, and the violence spread to other parts of the city on August 7. (AFP Photo)
Riot police tackle a mob after a number of cars are set alight in Hackney, north London on August 8, 2011. Riot police faced off with youths in fresh violence in London today in the third day of disorder after some of the worst rioting in the British capital in years at the weekend. The riots broke out in the north London district of Tottenham on August 6, following a protest against the death of a local man in a police shooting last week, and the violence spread to other parts of the city on August 7. (AFP Photo)
Fire crews try to extinguish a burning 140 year old furniture store in Croydon, South London on August 8, 2011. Now in its third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Numerous buildings were set on fire in Croydon as hundreds of looters plundered high street shops of their goods. (AFP Photo)
A burning 140 year old furniture store is pictured in Croydon, South London on August 8, 2011. Now in its third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Numerous buildings were set on fire in Croydon as hundreds of looters plundered high street shops of their goods. (AFP Photo)
A police officer pushes the media back during a police charge in Hackney, north London on 8 August, 2011. Now in its third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Two police cars and a large number of buildings were on Saturday set ablaze in Tottenham, north London following a protest over the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man in an armed stand-off with officers. The patrol cars were torched as dozens gathered outside the police station on the High Road in Tottenham. (AFP Photo)
In 1985, the area was the scene of a deadly riot after a local woman suffered heart failure when her home was raided by the police. The ensuing riots were among the most violent in the country's history, with one officer stabbed to death and nearly 60 others hospitalized. (Photo credit: Associated Press)
Rioting broke out in the north London neighbourhood of Tottenham on Saturday night. The riots came in reaction to the death of a 29-year old man, Mark Duggan, who was killed in an apparent gunfight by police. (Photo credit: Associated Press)
At least one police officer has been hospitalised and seven people injured in the riots. Two patrol cars, a building and a double-decker bus were torched, as rioters clashed with officers in front of Tottenham Police Station. (Photo credit: Associated Press)
Scotland Yard police commander Stephen Watson in a public statement said, "What we experienced yesterday evening was a peaceful protest outside Tottenham police station - there was no indication it would deteriorate in this way. For those who involved themselves in this level of violence, there is no excuse." (Photo credit: Associated Press)
Shop windows were also smashed as residents looted the stores, pushing shopping carts full of stolen goods down the street. (Photo credit: Associated Press)
Officers had to wear riot gear as they tried to control the demonstrators. Police estimated that there were at least 300 demonstrators. (Photo credit: Associated Press)
Miles from the tourist hotspots of central London, Tottenham is one of England's most deprived areas. (Photo credit: Associated Press)
A shopkeeper looks through a broken window of his shop in Brixton following a second night of disturbances in London, on August 8, 2011. Police said Monday they had arrested 100 people in a second night of rioting in London, condemning it as "copycat" disorder following weekend unrest sparked by the death of a man in a police shooting. As violence which rocked the multi-ethnic northern district of Tottenham on Saturday spread to other districts of the capital, doubts emerged over the original version the shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan, with suggestions that officers were not under attack when they opened fire. (AFP Photo)
