Cameron later changed his story

"Prime Minister David Cameron said officers had been overwhelmed at first, outmaneuvered by mobile gangs of rioters. He said "far too few police were deployed onto the streets. And the tactics they were using weren't working."

That changed Tuesday, when 16,000 officers were out in London, almost three times the number of the night before. Cameron said the extra officers will remain on patrol through the weekend.

Hugh Orde, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers, acknowledged police had faced "an unprecedented situation, unique circumstances" — but said it was police themselves, rather than "political interference," that got the situation under control.

"The more robust policing tactics you saw were not a function of political interference," he told the BBC. "They were a function of the numbers being available to allow the chief constables to change their tactics."

Malaysian student mugged during riots

CBS News:

Usually during in times of chaos and tragedy are stories of people doing heroic and noble deeds. Unfortunately, this isn't one of them.

As London continues to be engulfed in continued widespread rioting and looting, some people are apparently now robbing those who are injured and helpless.

In a YouTube video filmed by Abdul Hamid, a young male, who appears injured and lying on a bloodied ground, is surrounded by a group of other young people. A male dressed in a gray jacket helps the victim stand up and gently walks him to the side.

Without the victim noticing it, another male wearing a baseball cap a black jacket swoops in and unzips the knapsack. Then he and the "good Samaritan" pilfers through the boy's belongings.

As the victim turns around and sees what's going on, the male wearing the black jacket and cap takes something from the knapsack and discards what looks like a container as he walks away. The rest of the group also disperses, leaving the victim by himself with his knapsack partially opened.

"This is evil," writes Hamid in his comment on YouTube. "A poor lad, obviously in distress, sits bleeding on the ground. He is "helped" up and then robbed. I hope these scumbags are caught."

David Cameron statements about police, calling up army, pledges to crack down

David Cameron: Police admit they got riots wrong
BBC News
August 14 (?)
The police admitted they got their riot tactics wrong, the prime minister has said, as he announced measures to help homeowners and businesses.

Related headlines on Cameron statements:
UK may use army in future riots -Cameron - Reuters
UK's Cameron Pledges To Crack Down On Looters, Help Businesses

David Cameron proposes banning rioters from social media

The Guardian, August 11, 2011

More of Mrs May's pearls of wisdom

From the BBC:

Home Secretary Theresa May has told MPs that recent rioting in England is symptomatic of a "a wider malaise" including worklessness, illiteracy, and drug abuse.

After a rare recall of Parliament was agreed by Commons Speaker John Bercow at the request of Prime Minister David Cameron, Mrs May opened a Commons debate on 11 August 2011 on the riots.

Mrs May emphasised the importance of personal responsibility.

"The only cause of a crime is a criminal," she said. "Everybody, no matter what their background or circumstances, has the freedom to choose between right and wrong.

"Those who make the wrong decision, who engage in criminality, must be identified, arrested and punished - and we will make sure that happens."

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "It was a disgrace to see literally thousands of British citizens, many of them not yet even old enough to vote, ripping through our urban fabric.

"But standing against them now are not just thousands of British police officers but millions of British people who love their cities and their towns and who support their communities and the rule of law."

David Lammy, the Labour MP whose Tottenham constituency was the first to be hit by riots, demanded a public inquiry into the Metropolitan Police's handling of the violence.

Inspect Gadget

"We don't need an army we need an order to charge"

London Transport Workers Help During Riots

BBC News, August 12L

Transport workers have been praised by Prime Minister David Cameron for their bravery in "keeping London moving". In a letter to Transport for London Mr Cameron paid tribute to people who "protected passengers" during riots. He made a special mention [...]