Photo: MayorWatch
The high levels of disorder saw an additional 1,700 police officers deployed including officers from the City of London and British Transport forces.
On Monday evening acting Met Police Commissioner Tim Godwin said the capital was facing a wave of “significant disorder” and vowed to “pursue all those engaged in criminality.”
Godwin said his officers would put the culprits “in front of the courts and we will be asking the courts to send down significant sentences.”
A number of officers were injured as they worked to contain a rising level of incidents across the capital.
In Bethnal Green two officers were injured as around 100 people looted a Tesco store and at least three officers were injured in Hackney where crowds set alight cars on the Pembury Estate and looted businesses in Mare Street.
As residents and shopkeepers complained of delayed police responses, the Met called in assistance from the Thames Valley, Kent, Essex, Hampshire, Surrey, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Sussex forces.
Met Commander Christine Jones said: “The violence we have seen is simply inexcusable. Ordinary people have had their lives turned upside down by this mindless thuggery. The Met will ensure that those responsible will face the consequences of their actions and be arrested.”
Talking to reporters Metropolitan Police Authority Chair Kit Malthouse appeared to rule out both the deployment of water cannon and the armed forces.
Earlier on Monday Mr Malthouse, who is also a London Assembly Member, commented on demands for Mayor of London Boris Johnson to return to the capital.
Mr Malthouse commented: “There is a growing desire from the media to see Boris Johnson back in London but the truth is that modern communications mean that he is just as in touch with the people leading this operation as he would be if he was sitting in his office.”
Arson attacks on buildings posed a major challenge for the London Fire Brigade which said it had endured “very high numbers of calls” and was committed to responding “as quickly as possible.”
In a statement the Brigade said it was “organising firefighters at stations across London to ensure they can respond wherever and whenever possible.”
As the violence worsened senior politicians including Mayor Johnson and Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed they would be returning from their holidays.
The Prime Minister will hold a meeting of the COBRA committee on Tuesday morning as part of the Government’s efforts to draw up a plan to tackle the growing crisis.
View more photos of the damage around Clapham Junction
Source: Mark Stone Sky News
