LONDON, Aug 9: Rioters went on the rampage in Britain for a fourth night on Tuesday as Prime Minister David Cameron recalled parliament and ordered thousands of extra police onto the streets after the worst riots in decades devastated parts of London.

The speaker of the House of Commons agreed to recall parliament on Thursday so lawmakers could debate their response to the riots — a highly unusual move highlighting the seriousness of the crisis.

The disorder also claimed its first fatality, with the death of a man found shot during looting in south London.

Many Londoners feared another night of trouble. Sales of baseball bats and police batons shot up more than 5,000 percent in the last 24 hours on Amazon's British website.

In Hackney, scene of some of the worst rioting on Monday, groups of yellow-vested police were visible everywhere.

Commuters hurried home early, shops shut and many shopkeepers boarded their windows as the city prepared nervously for more of the violence that has flared in neighbourhoods across London and spread to other cities. Police promised to nearly triple their deployment on the streets _ from 6,000 to 16,000. London has a population of 7.8 million. The police have been accused of failing to bring the situation under control by going in softly to spare local sensibilities. On Tuesday, police said they would consider using rubber or plastic bullets.

Violence erupted in new areas from Manchester, northern England, where youths set shops alight, to the industrial cities of Wolverhampton and West Bromwich in central England where people smashed into stores and torched cars.

Police in London were bracing for more trouble after what they said was the worst night of disorder in living memory. Mr Cameron vowed to do “everything necessary to restore order to the streets”.

The orgy of violence had rolled across the city on Tuesday night, with cars burned, shops looted and running battles between police and rioters.

The prime minister cut short his holiday in Italy to return to Britain for an emergency meeting on the riots and condemned the looting and arson attacks as “sickening scenes”.

Britain's police watchdog said it found no evidence that Mark Duggan — whose shooting by police last week was the catalyst for the riots in London — had fired a gun at officers.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

Token austerity
Updated 11 Mar, 2026

Token austerity

The ‘austerity’ measures are a ritualistic response to public anger rather than a sincere attempt to reform state spending.
Lebanon on fire
11 Mar, 2026

Lebanon on fire

WHILE the entire Gulf region has become an active warzone, repercussions of this conflict have spread to the...
Canine crisis
11 Mar, 2026

Canine crisis

KARACHI’S stray dog crisis requires urgent attention. Feral canines can cause serious and lasting physical and...
Iran’s new leader
Updated 10 Mar, 2026

Iran’s new leader

The position is the most powerful in Iran, bringing together clerical authority and political and ideological leadership.
National priorities
10 Mar, 2026

National priorities

EVEN as the country faces heightened risks of attacks from actual terrorists, an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi...
Silenced march
10 Mar, 2026

Silenced march

ON the eve of International Women’s Day, Islamabad Police detained dozens of Aurat March activists who had ...