MPS tells troublemakers in London meltdown: We are coming to get you
Police have signalled their determination to prevent a repeat of the 2011 riots in London as the capital descended into 24 hours of violent “crime and disorder”.
Jul 21, 2016
By Nick Hudson
Police have signalled their determination to prevent a repeat of the 2011 riots in London as the capital descended into 24 hours of violent “crime and disorder”.
Trouble flared for a second night running on Wednesday (July 20) as the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) promised offenders “we will be coming to arrest you” as the tide of unrest turned the streets into a blood-stained battlefield.
An investigation, led by the force`s Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC), is trawling through “hours and hours” of CCTV footage to track down the organisers who brought terror to the inner-city triangle covering Hyde Park, Burgess Park in Southwark and Stamford Hill, Hackney.
At least four men have been identified by police after the clashes swept London on the hottest day of the year. It is believed that three were involved in violent disorder in Hyde Park and the fourth in Marble Arch.
As the force released photographs of the suspects, Head of MPS Operations Commander Ben-Julian Harrington insisted HMCC is using its resources and expertise to close in on culprits that “terrified people whilst they were at work; attacked our officers and others”.
“We will bring to justice those who committed crime, including grievous bodily harm, robbery, criminal damage and violent disorder,” said Mr Harrington.
And he asked: “If you know anyone who was involved in crime on Tuesday night or anyone who is planning further events over the coming days then please help us keep London safe for everyone and get in touch to tell us what you know?”
Mr Harrington added: What took place wasnt a group of people out enjoying the sunshine but crime and disorder, which is unacceptable.
“Officers are out on duty today and we want everyone in London to have a safe and enjoyable day.”
The MPS said on Wednesday it would put extra officers on the streets right through to the end of the weekend in a bid to stop the spread of disturbances that marred three events on Tuesday. All additional requests for leave have been cancelled.
More officers will be visible at key locations hit by the “horrific night of spontaneous violence” including Hyde Park, where police confronted up to 4,000 teenagers.
During the evening, five officers were injured including one who was stabbed and another who was struck by a bottle, while three members of the public were stabbed. A supermarket and McDonalds restaurant were looted.
The bloodiest disturbance along the banks of the Serpentine saw teenagers attack officers with bottles and knives as the West End suffered the worst outbreak of youth violence since the 2011 riots.
Witnesses described how the royal park erupted into a warzone as hundreds of youths clashed with officers called after a water-fight and music party organised on social media turned ugly.
Families and office workers enjoying the last of the evening sunshine scattered as more than a thousand teenagers fought running battles with police in protective equipment, a few hundred yards from Kensington Palace.
The mob was driven back to Marble Arch where around 500 remained until midnight, hurling bottles at the police ranks and chanting `Black Lives Matter`.
Violence also exploded in south London on Tuesday night as teenagers flooded into Burgess Park in Southwark for an end of term water fight.
Two 16-year-olds were stabbed as about 1,500 people filled the Southwark park. Neither were seriously injured, police said.
Southwark MPS tweeted: What started as end of term water fight in #burgesspark ended in a serious stabbing. Extra patrols today. #schools