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Riots: Manchester and Salford disorder brings 'shame on streets' Police 'overwhelmed' by riots in Manchester and Salford
(about 6 hours later)
Hundreds of rioters brought "shame on the streets of Salford and Manchester", Greater Manchester's assistant chief constable said. Police have said they were overwhelmed by "unprecedented levels of violence and criminality" that erupted on the streets of Manchester and Salford.
On Tuesday evening fire bombs were thrown at shops and looters stole clothes, electrical items and alcohol. Greater Manchester Police arrested 113 people overnight as thousands of youths ransacked shops, attacked officers and torched cars in the city centre.
Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said: "This has been senseless violence and senseless criminality of a scale I have never experienced in my career." Up to 200 people joined in a clean-up operation following the devastation.
Police arrested 108 people across Greater Manchester overnight. However, Blackley MP Graham Stringer criticised police for not doing enough to stop the trouble.
Councillor Pat Karney, of Manchester City Council, said the violence marked "one of the worst days that Manchester has ever seen". Mr Stringer, Labour MP for Blackley & Broughton, said he believed the chief constable "has a lot to answer for".
He said youths aged from nine had rampaged through the city centre. "It was known that this was coming to Salford and Manchester, and now shops have been looted and set on fire.
Council workers were already starting on the clean-up operation in the city, he said. "The police knew it was coming. It was co-ordinated and organised by well-known criminals and gangsters.
Mr Shewan added: "Greater Manchester Police has been faced with extraordinary levels of violence from groups of criminals intent on committing widespread disorder. "A lot more people should have been arrested for inciting this kind of behaviour."
"This is nothing more than senseless violence with no absolutely no regard for people, their property or livelihoods. Mr Stringer also questioned why police officers failed to make more arrests in the face of widespread vandalism and looting.
"These criminals have also attacked some of my officers and other emergency services who are simply trying to do their job to keep the public safe and restore order. When people were smashing windows and setting fire to shops, people weren't being arrested," he said.
"These people have nothing to protest against - there is no sense of injustice or any spark that has led to this. "I support the police very strongly but my side lost last night."
"I would ask all members of the communities across Greater Manchester to think very carefully and seriously about who they support and who they want to bring to justice for those acts which have ripped the heart out of two great cities." 'Shameful destruction'
Mr Karney said "true Mancunians" had a duty to report what they knew to police. Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan said more than 1,000 officers were deployed with support from neighbourhood staff and some officers from other forces.
When the BBC asked two youths why they were rioting, one responded: "Right, why are you going to miss the opportunity to get free stuff that's worth, like, loads of money?" However, he admitted they were "overwhelmed" by the number of rioters.
But they said it was not just about that, adding it was in response to government cuts. "Last night's shameful destruction saw some of the worst scenes I have ever witnessed as a police officer," he said.
"We saw swarms, hundreds, in fact, thousands of people intent on criminal violence coming into the city centre.
"We were taking attacks on our officers, we were protecting property where we could, but the numbers were so large."
But ACC Shewan denied that police officers "stood and watched" while crimes were committed.
"There were occasions where the crowds were so large and so violent that it would have been unsafe to deploy a handful of officers into those situations."
"It's very sad that businesses have been looted in this way and it's been a sickening night for the city centre of Manchester.
"But we say to the people of Greater Manchester we need your help in identifying the people responsible."
Meanwhile, hundreds of people joined council staff and business owners in a clean-up operation across the city centre, sweeping up broken glass and wreckage from the devastation caused the night before.
"Free stuff"
The violence started at Salford Shopping City in the middle of Tuesday afternoon, where rioters attacked police and set fire to shops.
BBC North West Tonight's political correspondent Arif Ansari said a cameraman was set upon just before crowds began attacking a Bargain Booze store and The Money Shop.
When the BBC asked two youths why they were rioting, one responded: "Why are you going to miss the opportunity to get free stuff that's worth loads of money?"
But they said it was not just about that, claiming it was in response to government cuts.
One added: "How many people have they arrested really, though, 10? I'm not really bothered. I'll keep doing this every day until I get caught."One added: "How many people have they arrested really, though, 10? I'm not really bothered. I'll keep doing this every day until I get caught."
He said he might be shouted at or grounded when he returned home but he would "live with that".He said he might be shouted at or grounded when he returned home but he would "live with that".
He added that it would be his first offence "so I'm not really bothered".He added that it would be his first offence "so I'm not really bothered".
The violence started at Salford Shopping City in the middle of Tuesday afternoon, where rioters attacked police and set fire to shops. GMP said they were called to 800 incidents in the city centre and around 130 in Salford.
BBC North West Tonight's political correspondent Arif Ansari said a cameraman was set upon just before crowds began attacking a Bargain Booze store and The Money Shop. This morning in Manchester the overwhelming emotion was one of resilience - those coming into work this morning seemed determined to get Manchester back to normal.
Police, politicians and community leaders all pleaded for Greater Manchester not to get involved in riots but shops, businesses and cars are burning. Yes there was plenty of damage, yes, there was shops boarded up and closed. But those that could open this morning, did.
As I pulled up by Salford precinct, I was greeted by crowds of young people - some as young as 10 or 11. Seconds later cars screeched by as young boys pulled wheelies on motorbikes. Everywhere you looked this morning there were volunteers - small groups, big groups, all with brooms and dustpans, many of them with one message painted on one cheek - the words "I love Manchester" daubed in red and white make up.
Within minutes of leaving my car and standing by BBC Radio Manchester's radio-car, bricks were hurled at myself and a colleague. We took cover by the empty markets. A group of 16-year-old students were there because they were determined to show that not all young people in Manchester were bad. They just felt they said they had to do something to help.
We were lucky not to get hit and managed to run around the corner where there was a line of police officers wearing riot gear. They were trying to protect the firefighters who had just doused the flames that had ripped through the old library right next to the precinct. In many ways, though, much of the work had already been done. In the few hours between the last of the disturbances and early morning - the council had been hard at work.
Gangs cheered as the radio-car went up in flames. The police lines moved forward and as we left more rocks and bricks were thrown at officers. All shops were boarded up, glass swept from the streets - the Manchester of early this morning was very different than that of late last night.
Youngsters seemed unaware of the danger they were in as they took pictures on their mobile phones to post on social networking sites. Ten officers were injured, including one who suffered a broken ankle.
Greater Manchester Fire Service reported 155 fires across the city centre and Salford.
About 100 business premises and a number of police vehicles were damaged.
Councillor Pat Karney, of Manchester City Council, said the violence marked "one of the worst days that Manchester has ever seen".
He said children as young as nine had joined in the rampage through the city centre.
A BBC radio car was set alight, as was a car belonging to a reporter.A BBC radio car was set alight, as was a car belonging to a reporter.
Eyewitness Tom Steedman said: "A big group of rioters started attacking some police who were defending the Lidl store.
"They actually managed to drive the police back who are now nowhere in sight.
"They then proceeded to smash through all the shutters on the store.
"It's been completely looted and then they set the store on fire."
The rioting later spread to the city centre, with Miss Selfridge in Market Street being set alight.The rioting later spread to the city centre, with Miss Selfridge in Market Street being set alight.
Crowds had gathered around Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens from late afternoon ahead of disorder in Market Street.Crowds had gathered around Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens from late afternoon ahead of disorder in Market Street.
The Arndale Centre in the city centre closed early after a gang of about 25 youths ran in and attempted to break down the shutters of JD Sports. The Arndale Centre in the city centre closed early on Tuesday after a gang of about 25 youths ran in and attempted to break down the shutters of JD Sports.
Police have since cordoned off areas around the Arndale.
Glen Barkworth, general manger of the centre, said: "What I've seen is that the rioters have split themselves into numerous groups doing damage all over the [city] centre.
"There are substantial frustrations about that, but there's bigger frustration about the youth of today."
Riot police in vans chased large groups of youths wearing ski masks and hoods, many on bikes, as they rampaged through the streets.Riot police in vans chased large groups of youths wearing ski masks and hoods, many on bikes, as they rampaged through the streets.
Gary Gray, who lives in the city centre, said he watched as crowds headed towards him and broke into shops. Gary Gray, who lives in the city centre, said he watched as crowds broke into shops.
He said: "There's way more of them than there are police. There's no way that the police can control it.He said: "There's way more of them than there are police. There's no way that the police can control it.
'Students mugged''Students mugged'
"The mob are turning on other people too. I got chased for taking pictures with my phone."The mob are turning on other people too. I got chased for taking pictures with my phone.
"They're chasing other people who are taking pictures and I saw a couple of students getting mugged.""They're chasing other people who are taking pictures and I saw a couple of students getting mugged."
Other shops affected included the Bang and Olufsen store off King Street, Diesel in King Street, Tesco Express in Princess Street, Sainsbury's Local in Bridge Street, as well as several in Deansgate and in Oxford Road. Other shops affected included the Bang and Olufsen store off King Street, Diesel in King Street, Tesco Express in Princess Street, Sainsbury's Local in Bridge Street, as well as several in Deansgate and Oxford Road.
Laura Ajayi, a university student, said it was a "snatch-and-grab campaign".
"I saw a torrent of young people pouring into shop after shop, grabbing everything within reach and then running on to the next store."
Many city streets were cordoned off or were guarded by mounted officers, including Exchange Square, Market Street, St Ann's Square and Deansgate.Many city streets were cordoned off or were guarded by mounted officers, including Exchange Square, Market Street, St Ann's Square and Deansgate.
By 01:30 BST police said many cordons had been lifted.By 01:30 BST police said many cordons had been lifted.
In Salford, glass from shop windows and bus shelters littered the streets along with house bricks and rubble used to pelt riot police.In Salford, glass from shop windows and bus shelters littered the streets along with house bricks and rubble used to pelt riot police.
Riot police and vans, one with a shattered windscreen, lined one shopping parade, with only small pockets of youths wandering the streets. Officers and vans, one with a shattered windscreen, lined one shopping parade, with only small pockets of youths wandering the streets.
Police forces in Northumbria, Stafford and North Wales helped in the policing operation.Police forces in Northumbria, Stafford and North Wales helped in the policing operation.
A fire engine was also attacked, causing minor damage.A fire engine was also attacked, causing minor damage.
There were also fires in Heywood and Oldham.There were also fires in Heywood and Oldham.
Manchester City Council is urging people who want to help in the clean-up operation to meet in Piccadilly Gardens at 09:00 BST.
In Salford, the council is warning residents to wait until they make an announcement about the clean-up to allow them to ensure the area is safe.