The night of Monday, August 8 was the worst the Met Police has seen in current memory for unacceptable levels of widespread looting, fires and disorder, the force says.
The Met reports that it responded with the largest policing operation of the three nights to date (about 2,500 officers in addition to 3,500 officers already on boroughs). This included receiving aid from other forces and using armoured vehicles to support officers on the ground to clear areas of trouble.<br><br>A significant number of arrests were made (well over 200 overnight – in excess of 450 over the three nights), leading to all Met cells being full and prisoners being taken to surrounding forces.<br><br>In a direct online message to rioters and looters, the Met said on its website that those involved in criminality should be under no illusion that they will be pursued. The Met have a team working during the night examining CCTV images and will follow up evidence.<br><br>Violence was directed at officers again, leading to 44 being injured last night, which included an officer being driven at resulting in broken bones, and another officer receiving an eye injury that is likely to need surgery (separate incident).<br><br>Some 14 members of the public were also hurt, including a man in his 60’s who has life threatening head injuries.<br><br>Over the last 24 hr period the Met has taken almost 400 per cent more 999 calls than normal (5,400 emergency 999 calls normally compared to almost 20,800).<br><br>Trident has launched an investigation after a 26 year old man was found with a gun shot wound in Croydon. He is in hospital in a serious condition.<br><br>The Met adds that officers and staff continue to work long hours at short notice in very challenging circumstances.<br><br>On Monday afternoon, August 8, youths gathered in Pembury Estate, Hackney setting alight cars and throwing petrol bombs. In Mare Street, businesses were looted. Other London rioting was in Newham (looting in Stratford High Street), Lewisham, Bethnal Green (looting of a Tesco premises), Croydon (fires burned at a number of premises). <br><br>On Monday evening Temporary Commissioner Tim Godwin – in the top post since the resignation of Sir Paul Stephenson during the News of the World phone hacking affair – also stressed the CCTV evidence would be used later, though some looters covered their heads with scarfs or hoods. Godwin said: โWe are going to be publishing lots of images of people who we have evidence of at this time in terms of criminal behaviour from CCTV and other footage. I would ask Londoners once again, and normally Londoners do stand up together, to identify those people so we can arrest them.โ The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is seeking urgent reassurances that a range of critical issues thrown up by escalating lawlessness on the streets of London and other UK cities are being addressed. The BRC plans to put these points to Home Secretary Theresa May.<br> <br>Retailers are calling for intelligence-led information to help them protect their properties and want reassurances those responsible for vandalism and theft will be suitably punished.<br> <br>The BRC has outlined a number of critical issues which it wants to raise on behalf of retailers, including:<br> <br>· Assurances the police and fire services are adequately resourced and equipped, and are authorised to use robust operational tactics to close down situations quickly;<br>· Assurances there will be resolute pursuit of offenders with effective prosecutions, in contrast to the West End protests earlier this year;<br>· Immediate support to help shopkeepers protect their properties, including timely intelligence and practical assistance in securing and clearing up after attacks;<br>· Early discussions on how affected communities can be helped to recover, given the likelihood that a significant number of small shops will fail following these attacks;<br>· Joint discussions with the insurance industry to ensure affordable insurance remains available in the affected areas and more widely to the sector;<br>· Joint discussions with the banks to ensure short to medium term credit arrangements enable retailers to refit and re-open.<br> <br>BRC Director General, Stephen Robertson, said: โThe shocking levels of lawlessness breaking out across the UK are hitting the heart of our communities. The police have shown great courage in facing the vandals but it is imperative retailers know that resources and plans are in place to prevent any repeat of this trouble.<br> <br>โTargeting local shops as an expression of anger and frustration is mindless. These criminal acts destroy community resources, hurting local businesses and threatening peopleโs jobs. Staff are being intimidated and traumatised. Those responsible must be prosecuted and punished. Retailers and their staff are particularly vulnerable and need protecting.<br> <br>โAs well as the immediate bills caused by damage and theft, there will be longer-term costs. Inevitably some businesses which have been attacked will never open their doors again. Banks need to offer good credit arrangements to those targeted so as many as possible have a chance to refit and reopen.<br> <br>โIโm reassured that many people have expressed their disgust at the events of the past few days. I hope theyโll join retailers in doing all they can to rebuild their neighbourhoods." <br><br>Nick Starling Director of General Insurance and Health, at insurance trade body the Association of British Insurers (ABI) said: โWe have every sympathy for residents and business owners who have suffered damage to their properties. This is a time of enormous stress for them and their insurers will be on hand to answer any questions that they may have. Home insurance should cover people for fire, looting or damage caused. Many policies will also cover people for accommodation costs if they canโt stay in their home. Most commercial insurance policies will cover businesses for damage to their premises, including the interruption to their business as a result. Some policies will also cover those businesses which are not damaged, but whose trade is affected by the aftermath. It is important for people to contact their insurer to check what they are covered for and arrange for immediate help. It is too early for us to have an accurate picture of total costs, especially business interruption costs, but insurers are working hard to deal with claims coming in which will give a sense of the level and cost of damage.โ Richard Bingley, CEO of business advice body CSARN (City Security and Resilience Networks, www.csarn.org) said on August 9: โFor several months now we have been reporting about the increased threat caused by a mix of social media anarchists and local activists who seem intent on hijacking issues to cause wanton violence and criminality. Our thoughts are with the terrified victims, as well as the police and emergency services who are trying to control this criminal disorder.โ
He stressed the need for fire safety. He said: โFires are used as a tactic to provide a focal point for protesters seeking to attract extensive media attention. They are also used to destroy evidence of criminality and distract emergency services, drawing them into confrontational situations. Your fire risk assessment and arson prevention arrangements should be reviewed accordingly. Simple good housekeeping measures such as the removal of any flammable and combustible materials stored adjacent to the premises, for example, stacks of pallets or waste materials, can reduce risk as these items can be easily ignited and any fires started in them can quickly spread to your building. Reduce the storage of flammable materials and stock near to your windows and entrance.
โEnsure that your first aid fire fighting equipment and extinguishers are maintained and available to deal with any small fires. However, staff should be properly trained to use any equipment provided and instructed to avoid unnecessary risk. If there is any doubt, evacuate all persons from the building immediately. Particular attention should be given to your arrangements to secure the safety of staff and customers from fire. Fires started using accelerants such as petrol bombs can spread very quickly, cutting off escape routes. Accelerants can cause very rapid fire spread and increase the risk that the entire building will become involved in fire, especially where there is a delay in any fire service response due to the security situation. Past experience suggests that in these situations some people consider remaining on their property to protect it from looting and damage. However, due to the risk of rapid fire spread, this can be extremely hazardous and has led to fatalities in previous events. Refuge in the upper floors of a building that has been targeted should be avoided as it is easy to become trapped.<br><br>And meanwhile the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson called for calm to be restored. He said: โThe scenes of violence and destruction over the weekend are utterly appalling. People have lost their homes, businesses and livelihoods through mindless violence. I understand the need for urgent answers into the shooting incident that resulted in the death of a young local man, and Iโve sought reassurances that the IPCC are doing exactly that. But letโs be clear these acts of sheer criminality across London are nothing to do with this incident and must stop now. The Acting Met Commissioner has assured me that the police are doing everything they can to resolve this situation, they will be making further arrests over the next few days and are working tirelessly to identify every criminal involved.โ<br><br>Pastor Nims Obunge said ‘We need to rebuild the community. I call for calm and peace so we can begin work rebuilding the families, communities and businesses that have been destroyed. Iโve walked around Tottenham and the damage is disheartening, weโve lost the post office, the job centre, weโve lost local businesses. Young people need to understand they are ruining our communities. We can’t allow London to burn. We can’t give up. We need to rebuild hope and look for solutions for our young people. This should not be allowed to happen again.'<br><br>Bevan Powell, Chair of the Metropolitan Black Police Association said: โIโm calling for calm, people are losing their homes and businesses because of rioting and it must stop now. The community need to work with the police to stop the chaos. We recognise tensions with the police have been in the community for significant period of time and this needs to be addressed. However there is no excuse for the violence and destruction over the weekend. Community leaders need to come together and denounce this disorder and make sure it doesnโt spread across our city. โ<br>
