After three days of chaos in London things were relatively quiet there last night. Not so in other UK cities. Rioting and looting were going on in Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham to name but three major cities. Millions of pounds worth of damage to public and private property have been done, but the biggest cost is probably Britain’s image in the rest of the world. Let’s hope the culprits get what is coming to them soon.
1 A police officers stands near a burnt out shop in Clapham Junction, in south London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
2 A council worker clears the remains of destroyed vehicles in Hackney, north London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Chris Helgren
3 Part of a group of about 300 volunteers help clear the remains of destroyed vehicles in Hackney, north London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Chris Helgren
4 Police officers stand near a burnt out shop in Clapham Junction, in south London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
5 Volunteers wait clear-up after overnight disturbances in Clapham Junction, in south London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
6 Volunteers wait clear-up after overnight disturbances in Clapham Junction, in south London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
7 A man looks at a looted florist shop in Ealing in west London August 9, 2011. Prime Minister David Cameron will today hold crisis talks after three nights of riots, looting and arson by masked, hooded youths that wrecked shopping centres in many parts of London and spread to other cities. REUTERS/Toby Melville
8 Smoke billows from the Sony Centre in Enfield, north London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Chris Helgren
9 A man clears up in a supermarket in Ealing in west London August 9, 2011. Prime Minister David Cameron will today hold crisis talks after three nights of riots, looting and arson by masked, hooded youths that wrecked shopping centres in many parts of London and spread to other cities. REUTERS/Toby Melville
10 A man looks at his mobile phone as he cycles past two burned out cars in the Toxteth area of Liverpool, northern England August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London, and other parts of the country. REUTERS/Phil Noble
12 Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron talks to Acting Borough Commander Superintendent Jo Oakley in Croydon, south London August 9, 2011. Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Stefan Rousseau/Pool
13 London Mayor Boris Johnson speaks to people in Clapham Junction, in south London August 9, 2011. British Prime Minister David Cameron said he would recall parliament from its summer recess for a day on Thursday after rioting swept through London for three consecutive nights. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
14 Smoke billows from a Sony Centre warehouse in Enfield, north London in this still image taken from footage, August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/BBC/ITN Helicopter via Reuters TV
15 A store destroyed by fire in Croydon, south London is seen in this still image taken from footage, August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/BBC/ITN Helicopter via Reuters TV
16 A policeman and his dog walk towards a burning car in central Birmingham, central England August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/Darren Staples
17 Policemen relax as they rest on a side street in Wandsworth, south London August 9, 2011. London police, hampered by past criticism of heavy-handed tactics, vowed to get tough with rioters after three nights of violence but there are questions about how long the force can keep up its massive operation if trouble persists. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
18 A Currys electrical store is seen boarded up in Brixton, south London August 9, 2011. London police, hampered by past criticism of heavy-handed tactics, vowed to get tough with rioters after three nights of violence but there are questions about how long the force can keep up its massive operation if trouble persists. REUTERS/Dylan Martinez
19 Looters carry boxes out of a home cinema shop in central Birmingham, central England August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/Darren Staples
20 Looters carry equipment out of a home cinema shop in central Birmingham, central England August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/Darren Staples
21 Police detain a man in central Birmingham, central England August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/Darren Staples
22 Police detain a man in central Birmingham, central England August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/Darren Staples
23 A Miss Selfridge clothing store is seen ablaze in Manchester city centre, northern England August 9, 2011. Riots flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night as London waited anxiously to see if thousands of police deployed on its streets could head off the youths who had rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked for three nights. REUTERS/Stringer
24 Riot police wait in an estate in east London August 9, 2011. Riots flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night as London waited anxiously to see if thousands of police deployed on its streets could head off the youths who had rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked for three nights. REUTERS/Andrew Winning
25 People gather on a street in Eltham, southeast London August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights.REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
26 A police van is parked on a street in Eltham, southeast London August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights.
REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
27 A firefighter continues to tackle a fire at an electrical goods warehouse in Enfield, north London August 9, 2011. Riots flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night as London waited anxiously to see if thousands of police deployed on its streets could head off the youths who had rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked for three nights. REUTERS/Andrew Winning
28 Smoke billows as firefighters extinguish a fire near Burnt Oak station in northwest London August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London’s streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
29 Police officers restrain a man, who was part of a group that gathered to repel possible rioters and looters, as he struggles to avoid having his picture taken in Eltham, southeast London, August 10, 2011. Police surrounded the group to maintain order and dispersed the group after taking down the names and pictures of its members. REUTERS/Andrew Winning
30 People walk in a street past a police car in Eltham, southeast London August 9, 2011. Violence flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night but London, where thousands of extra police had been deployed, was largely peaceful after three turbulent nights in which youths rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked.
REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett
32 Police officers in riot gear return to their vehicles during disturbances in Birmingham, central England August 9, 2011. Violence flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night but London, where thousands of extra police had been deployed, was largely peaceful after three turbulent nights in which youths rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked. REUTERS/Darren Staples
33 A rioter walks through a burning barricade in Liverpool August 9, 2011. Violence flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night but London, where thousands of extra police had been deployed, was largely peaceful after three turbulent nights in which youths rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked.REUTERS/Phil Noble
34 Rioters stand in front of a burning barricade in Liverpool August 9, 2011. Violence flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night but London, where thousands of extra police had been deployed, was largely peaceful after three turbulent nights in which youths rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked. REUTERS/Phil Noble
35 A worker cleans a laundry after overnight rioting and looting in the neighbourhood of Toxteth in Liverpool, northern England August 10, 2011. British cities began on Wednesday to clean up shopping streets littered with debris from a night of looting by gangs of hooded youths copying the tactics of young Londoners who had rampaged through districts of the capital for three nights. REUTERS/Phil Noble
36 Burned out shells of cars block a road after overnight rioting and looting in the neighbourhood of Toxteth in Liverpool, northern England August 10, 2011. British cities began on Wednesday to clean up shopping streets littered with debris from a night of looting by gangs of hooded youths copying the tactics of young Londoners who had rampaged through districts of the capital for three nights. REUTERS/Phil Noble
37 A cyclist passes the burned out shell of a camper after overnight rioting and looting in the neighbourhood of Toxteth in Liverpool, northern England August 10, 2011. British cities began on Wednesday to clean up shopping streets littered with debris from a night of looting by gangs of hooded youths copying the tactics of young Londoners who had rampaged through districts of the capital for three nights. REUTERS/Phil Noble
38 A shoe hangs in the smashed window of the Nike store in Manchester, northern England August 10, 2011. Violence flared in English cities and towns on Tuesday night but London, where thousands of extra police had been deployed, was largely peaceful after three turbulent nights in which youths rampaged across the capital virtually unchecked.REUTERS/Phil Noble