Cameron pledges to restore order after riots
David Cameron pledges to do “whatever it takes” to restore order to the streets after four nights of riots in English cities.
As communities across the UK pick up the pieces after days of rioting, looting and arson, MPs are setting out how they plan prevent this kind of violence ever breaking out again.
Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to do “whatever it takes” as he addressed the House of Commons, recalled from the summer break after the violence escalated earlier this week.
He said the Government was looking at the option of introducing new sentencing powers and promised that reinforced police numbers would remain on the streets of London over the weekend. He said anyone convicted of rioting would go to jail.
We will not put up with this in our country. Prime Minister David Cameron
“We will not put up with this in our country. We will not allow a culture of fear to exist on our streets and we will do whatever it takes to restore law and order and to rebuild our communities,” he said.
Most of the UK was calm overnight after police flooded hotspots with personnel, but the Government still wanted to show citizens it was in control after days of the worst rioting in living memory.
Read more from Channel 4 News: why were there riots?
Birmingham vigil
In Birmingham, hundreds held a candle-lit vigil for three men who were killed when they were hit by a car as they protected shops from rioting in the Winson Green area.
Haroon Jahan, 21 and brothers Shazad Ali, 30, and Abdul Musavir, 31, all died in the incident which the Prime Minister has described as “truly dreadful”. Police are questioning a 32-year old man on suspicion of murder.
Rioting began on Saturday night in Tottenham over the death of Mark Duggan, 29, who was shot dead by police a week ago. It then spread across the capital and beyond.
Greater Manchester Police have made 145 arrests after rioters rampaged through the city centre of Manchester and Salford on Tuesday. Rioting also hit Liverpool, Nottingham, Leicester, Wolverhampton, Gloucester and Bristol.
Scotland Yard said 820 people have now been arrested in London, with 279 charged.
Justice and calm sought
Police forces across England are beginning the process of bringing those responsible for the disorder to justice, identifying and arresting suspects.
The City of Westminster, Manchester and Solihull Magistrates’ Courts sat through the night and are expected to run today to process the huge numbers of people already charged over the disturbances.
Some of those who have already appeared in the dock include an 11-year-old boy from Romford, Essex, who pleaded guilty to stealing from the town’s Debenhams store during the disorder on Monday night, and a 31-year-old learning mentor who admitted taking part in looting in Croydon, south London.