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Scotland Yard has ordered its officers to use every available force, including plastic bullets, to stop Britain's riots as London was flooded with 16,000 officers, the biggest police presence in the capital in history.With early reports emerging of a fourth night of trouble, involving shops broken into and torched in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, some urban areas, notably in London, were in virtual lockdown as many businesses closed and shop windows were boarded up.
Amid intense pressure on police resources the military were taking an increased – though still indirect – role. Some police officers drafted into London were being housed at army barracks, while Essex police were using some army vehicles as backup.
One army unit, the 3rd Rifles based in Glasgow, was also on put on notice so that it is ready to deploy at 12 hours' notice.
Beginning a day of drama, David Cameron, stood in Downing Street hours after returning from holiday in Italy and pledged to flood the capital with 16,000 police – more than double those on duty the previous night and the most ever deployed in one place in the UK – to stem what Scotland Yard is calling the worst UK urban violence in recent history.
The public should expect to see "many more" rioters arrested from now on, the prime minister said. Parliament would be recalled on Thursday to debate the trouble, he added. Shortly afterwards Cameron chaired a meeting of the Cobra security committee at which it is understood he and the home secretary, Theresa May, discussed the possible use of plastic bullets, water cannon and other tactics. Following the meeting the Home Office asked the Ministry of Defence to "scope out what low-end" help the armed forces might provide.
Any decision on using plastic bullets will be up to senior police officers. If used, it would be the first time they have been fired at rioters in the UK outside Northern Ireland. It forms part of a wider reversal of tactics by Scotland Yard following criticism of its response so far. Senior police sources told the Guardian on Tuesday that for the first three nights of trouble officers in London were told to stand by, watch and wait rather than actively seek to arrest rioters and looters. But after anger from the public – who witnessed officers seemingly doing little as youths ran unchecked, burning and looting– and Cameron's intervention, those orders were abruptly changed to leave officers free to tackle troublemakers in the act.
Amid intense pressure on police resources the military were taking an increased – though still indirect – role. Some police officers drafted into London were being housed at army barracks, while Essex police were using some army vehicles as backup.
One army unit, the 3rd Rifles based in Glasgow, was also on put on notice so that it is ready to deploy at 12 hours' notice.
Beginning a day of drama, David Cameron, stood in Downing Street hours after returning from holiday in Italy and pledged to flood the capital with 16,000 police – more than double those on duty the previous night and the most ever deployed in one place in the UK – to stem what Scotland Yard is calling the worst UK urban violence in recent history.
The public should expect to see "many more" rioters arrested from now on, the prime minister said. Parliament would be recalled on Thursday to debate the trouble, he added. Shortly afterwards Cameron chaired a meeting of the Cobra security committee at which it is understood he and the home secretary, Theresa May, discussed the possible use of plastic bullets, water cannon and other tactics. Following the meeting the Home Office asked the Ministry of Defence to "scope out what low-end" help the armed forces might provide.
Any decision on using plastic bullets will be up to senior police officers. If used, it would be the first time they have been fired at rioters in the UK outside Northern Ireland. It forms part of a wider reversal of tactics by Scotland Yard following criticism of its response so far. Senior police sources told the Guardian on Tuesday that for the first three nights of trouble officers in London were told to stand by, watch and wait rather than actively seek to arrest rioters and looters. But after anger from the public – who witnessed officers seemingly doing little as youths ran unchecked, burning and looting– and Cameron's intervention, those orders were abruptly changed to leave officers free to tackle troublemakers in the act.
There are so many claims as to why , i thought I'de ask and see if anyone can be more definitive.
