2011 England Riots: Beyond The Bloody Protests

The 2011 English riots occurred from August 6 to 10, as thousands of people took to the streets in several London boroughs and cities and towns across England. This resulted in looting, arson, robbery, violence, and injuries. Scores of police officers were deployed in order to regain peace and stability in the affected areas. The incident garnered much media publicity, as well as public concern and scrutiny.

This event has been viewed from various perspectives. Government authorities and several mass media outlets have referred to the incident as ‘riots’ and equated the actions of participants to criminal behavior. On the other hand, sympathizers have described them as a protest, revolution, and rebellion against inequality and the state’s inefficiencies. This book contains the untold stories of what police officers on the frontline experienced over those feverish days and nights as they battled to regain control of Britain’s streets. Drawn from interviews with dozens of officers who have never spoken publicly before, this is a terrifying account of how the disorder spread through the country and how the police fought back while under attack from rioters armed with bricks, petrol bombs, knives and guns.