Wednesday, 10 August 2011 10:43

U.K. Riots: Three Dead as London Police Go on Offensive

Written by  Jeanette Torres
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Authors: Jeanette Torres

U.K. Riots: Three Dead as London Police Go on OffensiveLEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images(LONDON) -- The rioting and looting gripping England has turned deadly as it enters a fifth day Wednesday, with three men killed by a hit-and-run driver in Birmingham.
Reports from neighbors indicate that the men were attempting to protect their area from rioters when they were struck by the car.
"Three men -- aged 31, 30, and 20 -- were on foot in Dudley Road in the Winson Green area of the city when they were in collision with a car.  All later died from their injuries in hospital," read a statement on the West Midlands Police's website.  "Detectives...will today question a 32-year-old man on suspicion of murder."
In London, Scotland Yard has gone on the offensive in the streets, adding on Tuesday an additional 10,000 officers who have created an eerie calm as night fell on the capital; the show of force apparently stifled the rioting.
Officers continued to arrest those involved in disorder both on the street and as a result of detective work, according to a statement from Scotland Yard, which rejected claims that officers were initially instructed not to make arrests.
"It is simply wrong to suggest officers were initially told not to actively arrest those involved in disorder," the statement read.  "As always the decision to make an arrest is down to the individual officer on the ground who must weigh up whether it is appropriate bearing in mind risks of further inflaming the crowd, wider operational requirements and our ability to gather evidence to arrest later."
In a city bristling with security cameras, pictures of looters began appearing in the newspapers and on TV in an attempt to identify more suspects.
Police had vowed to hit the streets in greater numbers as night fell and there were no new reported hotspots in the city as of late Tuesday evening.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Embassy has issued a statement warning Americans about London violence and has reminded them of common sense practices including avoiding civil unrest and not engaging with those causing disturbance.
The violence that began in London on Saturday has spread across England, with Manchester and Nottingham reportedly being hit hard by rioters, with roving gangs of young people setting buildings and cars on fire, looting stores, and terrorizing the public.  A gang of rioters also firebombed a police station in Nottingham on Tuesday.

Copyright 2011 ABC News Radio

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