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| Riots: Manchester and Salford disorder brings 'shame on streets' | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of rioters have brought "shame on the streets of Salford and Manchester," Greater Manchester's assistant chief constable has said. | Hundreds of rioters have brought "shame on the streets of Salford and Manchester," Greater Manchester's assistant chief constable has said. |
| Fire bombs have been thrown at shops and looters have stolen clothes, electrical items and alcohol. | Fire bombs have been thrown at shops and looters have stolen clothes, electrical items and alcohol. |
| ACC Garry Shewan said: "This has been senseless violence and senseless criminality of a scale I have never experienced in my career before." | ACC Garry Shewan said: "This has been senseless violence and senseless criminality of a scale I have never experienced in my career before." |
| Police have arrested 47 people and Mr Shewan said more would follow. | |
| Councillor Pat Karney, of Manchester City Council, said the violence marked "one of the worst days that Manchester has ever seen". | Councillor Pat Karney, of Manchester City Council, said the violence marked "one of the worst days that Manchester has ever seen". |
| He said youths aged from nine had been on the rampage through the city centre. | |
| Council workers were already starting on the clean-up operation in the city, he said. | |
| 'Senseless violence' | 'Senseless violence' |
| Mr Shewan added: "Over the past few hours, Greater Manchester Police has been faced with extraordinary levels of violence from groups of criminals intent on committing widespread disorder. | Mr Shewan added: "Over the past few hours, Greater Manchester Police has been faced with extraordinary levels of violence from groups of criminals intent on committing widespread disorder. |
| "This is nothing more than senseless violence with no absolutely no regard for people, their property or livelihoods. | "This is nothing more than senseless violence with no absolutely no regard for people, their property or livelihoods. |
| "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. | "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. |
| "These people have nothing to protest against - there is no sense of injustice or any spark that has led to this." | "These people have nothing to protest against - there is no sense of injustice or any spark that has led to this." |
| The levels of violence had shocked police, he said. | |
| Mr Shewan said: "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." | |
| Mr Karney said "true Mancunians" had a duty to report what they knew to police. | Mr Karney said "true Mancunians" had a duty to report what they knew to police. |
| The violence started at Salford precinct 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. | |
| BBC Radio Manchester's Richard Stead, who was also at the scene, said: "The tension is palpable and there is another group of 12 and 13-year-olds on bikes looking on." | |
| 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. |
| Police, politicians and community leaders all pleaded for Greater Manchester not to get involved in riots but shops, businesses and cars are burning. | Police, politicians and community leaders all pleaded for Greater Manchester not to get involved in riots but shops, businesses and cars are burning. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Youngsters seemed unaware of the danger they were in as they took pictures on their mobile phones to post on social networking sites. | Youngsters seemed unaware of the danger they were in as they took pictures on their mobile phones to post on social networking sites. |
| Eyewitness Tom Steedman said: "A big group of rioters started attacking some police who were defending the Lidl store. | 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 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. | 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." | "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 headed towards him and 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. |
| No buses or trams | No buses or trams |
| "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." | |
| Other shops affected include 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 include 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. |
| 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 have been cordoned off or are being guarded by mounted officers, including Exchange Square, Market Street, St Ann's Square and Deansgate. | Many city streets have been cordoned off or are being guarded by mounted officers, including Exchange Square, Market Street, St Ann's Square and Deansgate. |
| Mr Shewan said his officers were "gaining control" of the city centre, "street by street" to "flush out" the rioters. | Mr Shewan said his officers were "gaining control" of the city centre, "street by street" to "flush out" the rioters. |
| But the police helicopter remained hovering over the city centre as gangs remained on the streets accompanied by the sounds of police sirens and shop alarms. | |
| Police forces in Northumbria, Stafford and North Wales have helped in the policing operation. | Police forces in Northumbria, Stafford and North Wales have helped in the policing operation. |
| A fire engine has also been attacked, causing minor damage. | A fire engine has also been attacked, causing minor damage. |
| A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said they had received an increased number of calls following "sporadic and isolated pockets of civil disturbance". | A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said they had received an increased number of calls following "sporadic and isolated pockets of civil disturbance". |
| There have been reports of fires in Heywood and Oldham. | There have been reports of fires in Heywood and Oldham. |
| All trams and buses have been stopped from operating in the city. | All trams and buses have been stopped from operating in the city. |