London on Fire: Video of Tottenham anti-police riots

Police called on parents to call their children and on communities to "clear the streets" amid "significant disorder" across London, with disturbances also reported in Birmingham. Rioting broke out in London's Hackney district first. Shops were damaged and looted, cars were burned and bricks were hurled at police. There were also reports of disorder in Peckham, Lewisham, Croydon, Clapham and Ilford. Police faced difficulty in containing the disturbance as fast-moving gangs of youths moved from one area to the next, bringing disturbances with them -- including a building blaze in Lewisham. The outbreak came as British Home Secretary Theresa May returned early from holiday to meet London's police chief and other senior officers. British prime minister David Cameron is also now returning home from holiday in Italy to deal with the crisis.