THERE ARE CONCERNS London could face more disturbances tonight as tensions continue to simmer – after rioting which left buildings gutted and police officers injured.
The UK capital’s deputy mayor, Richard Barnes, said there have been calls for more street protests on social media sites. “There is Twitter conversations that people are being asked to meet again down in Tottenham,” he said, according to Reuters. “We are all concerned but clearly we will be much better prepared this evening.”
Police commander Adrian Hancock also said the police were “monitoring” social networking sites. However, he added there was a “robust” policing plan in case of further unrest. There were also reports on Twitter of more riot police heading for the area:
Some 26 officers were injured in last night’s violence, which also saw widespread looting and buildings and vehicles set alight. According to the BBC, the Metropolitan Police have condemned the rioting as “pure criminality” and parts of Tottenham are still locked down as forensic teams comb the area. At least 48 people have been arrested so far, RTÉ reports.
However, some local residents have laid the blame for the violence on heavy-handed policing methods. “The police never talk to us, they ignore us, they don’t think we’re human in this area,” university student Jake Manu told the BBC. “We get pulled over all the time like criminals. If you’re wearing a black hood, [if] you’re a black man, they pull you over for no reason.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say