Wow.

I knew the UK was turning into a ****-hole, but I can't believe how fast
it's happening.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...-iconi-007.jpg

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/video/2...-up-riot-video

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/au...fforts-attacks

London firefighters stretched to breaking point by riot blazes

Rioters attack at least three fire engine crews as large fires cause
tens of millions of pounds worth of damage

The resources of London's firefighters were stretched to breaking point
on Monday night by a series of large blazes causing tens of millions of
pounds worth of damage. Rioters attacked at least three fire engine
crews trying to tackle some of the incidents.

Croydon in south London was the site of some of the worst incidents,
with fire crews also attending incidents in Hackney, Lewisham, Newham
and Southwark, according to London Fire Brigade. The fires involved
commercial and residential buildings, cars and rubbish bins.

One of the biggest blazes engulfed a family furniture business that had
been based in Croydon for more than 120 years. The Reeves furniture shop
was engulfed with flames, with nearby homes evacuated.

Trevor Reeves, one of the owners, said he arrived as looters and
arsonists were leaving the premises. He questioned whether the police
and the fire brigade had the resources to stop the rioters.

"If the police and the fire engines had arrived a few minutes earlier
this might not have happened. This was built in the late 1800s and its
been completely destroyed. Its a business that has been in my family for
five generations. My brother and father are devastated. The authorities
do not have the ability to cope," he told Sky News.

Croydon Central MP Gavin Barwell, who has lived in Croydon all his life,
said he was trying to speak to the home secretary to urgently discuss
resources for the fire brigades and police.

"The Met police and fire brigade need to be given resources from other
parts of the country to make sure that another night of this violence
does not take place," he said.

Firefighters have struggled to reach fires quickly. They have been
forced to wait for police to secure the area before tackling some of the
worst blazes, according to reports. In Peckham, south London, a lingerie
store was set alight on Monday evening at around 7pm, according to
witnesses. By the time the police and fire brigade arrived, nearly 40
minutes later, the building had been gutted and the fire had spread to
neighbouring buildings.

Families living above the shop were evacuated.

On the Pembury estate in Hackney, north London, youths had set a number
of vehicles alight. A white van was ablaze as well as wooden pallettes.

The chairman and leader of the London Fire and Emergency Planning
Authority, Cllr Brian Coleman, praised the professionalism of the
capital's firefighters and condemned reports that some fire crews had
been attacked.

"It is absolutely outrageous though that three of our fire engines came
under attack and had to be taken off the road, making them unavailable
for emergencies. There is simply no excuse for this abhorrent behaviour
which endangers the lives of firefighters and the people they are trying
to protect," he said.

A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said it is working closely with
other emergency services and the police to access the fires that have
been started, with safe access for the public and for our firefighters
of paramount importance.

"Since 6pm this evening we have been receiving very high numbers of
calls to Brigade control, and our control staff are working hard to
manage the incidents being reported as quickly as possible," he said on
Monday night.
=======================

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14456037

Third night of rioting in London as 6,000 officers on duty

Rioting and looting continued for the third night in London leaving
behind burnt-out cars and buildings.

Deputy mayor Kit Malthouse said 6,000 officers were on duty and 450
people were arrested. He said 44 officers were injured, four seriously.

Disorder was reported from Croydon, Clapham, Hackney, Camden, Lewisham,
Peckham, Newham, East Ham, Enfield, Woolwich, Ealing and Colliers Wood.

The Met said Monday was "the worst" disorder in "current memory".

The MPS responded with the largest policing operation of the three
nights to date.

A statement from the force said: "Last night was the worst the MPS
(Metropolitan Police Service) has seen in current memory for
unacceptable levels of widespread looting, fires and disorder.

"A significant number of arrests were made, well over 200 overnight - in
excess of 450 over the three nights, leading to all MPS cells being full
and prisoners being taken to surrounding forces.

"Over the last 24-hour period we have taken almost 400% more 999 calls
than normal (5,400 emergency 999 calls normally compared to almost
20,800)."

London Fire Brigade said fires had spread "almost pan-London" and it
faced its "busiest night in recent history".

Its 999 control centre answered 2,169 calls between 18:00 BST on Monday
and 07:19 BST on Tuesday.

London Ambulance Service said it took 22 people to hospital and many
others were treated at the scene.

Director of operations Richard Webber said "missiles were thrown at our
vehicles and crews were threatened and intimidated while trying to care
for people".

Birmingham, Liverpool, Nottingham, Bristol and the Medway towns also saw
violence.
'Terrible night'

Mr Malthouse said the Met was looking to bolster its numbers from
neighbouring forces and currently had a mobile unit of 1,700 officers.

Three people were arrested in the early hours of Tuesday on suspicion of
attempted murder after a police officer was injured by a car in Brent,
north west London, while trying to stop suspected looters.

In total 69 people have been charged and two people have been cautioned
over the riots.

The prime minister is chairing the government's emergency meeting of
Cobra while the Mayor of London Boris Johnson is expected to return from
his holiday later.

Mr Malthouse said: "I don't think we can pretend anything other than it
was an overwhelming evening, and that the police were incredibly
stretched.

"We had 44 who have reported injured this morning, four seriously.
Stores on fire in Woolwich Several businesses in Woolwich were targeted

"It looks like we're going to have an allegation of attempted murder on
one particular police officer so it was a very serious night and a very
stretching night and I have to say I feel for all those people who have
woken up this morning to see the charred remains of their businesses,
perhaps their homes and who've suffered in London.

"It's really been a terrible night."

The Met's Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh said leave and
training of all police officers had been cancelled and there would be an
"unprecedented" number of officers on duty tonight.

He said it was "a shocking and appalling morning for London to wake up
to" and he was struck by the "sheer scale and speed with which the
attacks took place across London" overnight.

There has been a "change" in the make-up of the rioters with "older
groups in cars doing organised looting" rather than 14 to 17 year olds,
he added.

More armoured vehicles, known as Jankels, which were used for the first
time in Ealing and Clapham since riots broke out on Saturday, will be on
the roads.
'Fires pan-London'

Home Secretary Theresa May said police were able to cope with the
disturbance.

"What robust policing means is doing what we saw them doing overnight,
which is dealing with the disorder on the streets, but then following
that through - looking at the CCTV footage."

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Bernie Higgins, from London Fire Brigade,
said: "We've dealt with a number of serious fires, simultaneously
throughout the night across London.

"So it's not been contained to one part, it's been spread almost
pan-London, which has obviously given us a challenge in terms of
managing our resources."

Map of London riots:

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/image...ts2_mon464.jpg

Clean up call

On Monday rioting and looting spread across Hackney, Peckham, Croydon,
Ealing and to parts of east and north London.

Up to 300 people targeted businesses in Mare Street and missiles were
hurled at officers. In Peckham, about 500 rioters went on a rampage.
Officers in Hackney The Met said Monday's disorder was the worst in its
current memory

In Croydon, several cars and buildings were set alight, including a 150
year-old furniture store which was completely gutted. A 26-year-old is
in a serious condition after being shot.

A Sony warehouse in Solar way, Enfield, was set on fire and shops and
cars were smashed and set alight in Ealing.

A Twitter group - riot cleanup - has been set up urging local residents
to help clean up their local businesses and areas which were ravaged by
rioters.

Dan Thomson, who set up the group, said people had begun to clear away
debris in Peckham, Hackney, Westbourne Grove and groups were gathering
"with dust pans" in Camden and Chalk farm.

The trouble followed two nights of violence over the weekend which
started after police shot a man dead in Tottenham.

A peaceful protest in Tottenham on Saturday over the fatal shooting by
police of Mark Duggan, 29, was followed by violence which spread into
Sunday.