The independent Riots Communities and Victims Panel claims disturbances that hit UK cities over the summer could happen again unless central and local government take urgent action.
The panel charged with investigating the incidents published an interim report today and found that there were many individual causes and motivations for the disorder that broke out between 6-10 August.
Panel members concluded that no single issue caused the riots. Led by former Ealing council chief Darra Singh, members of the panel have visited 20 areas since the riots and collected observations and opinions from thousands of people affected.
The panel estimated that between 13,000 and 15,000 people were actively involved in the riots, which began in Tottenham, north London, and spread first throughout the capital and then to other major cities – including Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.
Panel members concluded that no single issue caused the riots. But they have suggested that had the police reaction to incidents in Tottenham and elsewhere in London been ‘more robust’ then ‘riots would not have happened elsewhere in England’.
The panel warned that in many areas, residents felt ‘abandoned’ by the police. Police forces also received criticism for their perceived failure to protect individuals at the expense of commercial property, and unsympathetic ‘stop and search’ programmes in key areas.
The panel has also explored the potential links between deprivation and participation in the riots. The overall conclusion is that ‘riots of this nature will happen again, therefore immediate action is needed if this is to be prevented’.
