Eight London police officers were hospitalized Sunday morning after a night of riots that saw businesses set on fire and local residents take to the streets to protest a fatal police shooting earlier in the week, DPA reported.
Scotland Yard said at least one of the hospitalized officers had suffered a head injury after the clashes near Tottenham, in northern London.
In the course of the riots buildings and vehicles - including two patrol cars, a police van and a double-decker bus - were set ablaze. There were also reports of looting. Police on horseback were pelted with projectiles.
Early Sunday, fire officials said the fires were out, but that crews were still keeping an eye on some spots.
"We are still at the scene of some of them to damp them down and make sure everything is out," said a spokesman for the London Fire Brigade.
Police said there were still pockets of criminal activity as well. Officials added that they were taken by surprise by the level of violence after what had started out as a peaceful protest.
Commander Stephen Watson of the Metropolitan Police termed the violence "distressing" and added "we did not have warnings that we were going to see the kind of disorder being witnessed tonight.
"For those who involved themselves in this level of violence, there is no excuse."
The protests were organized by the friends and family of Mark Duggan, 29, who was shot dead Thursday after an exchange of gunfire with police.
"They're making their presence known because people are not happy," said one woman, who only identified herself as Nikki, 53. "This guy was not violent. Yes, he was involved in things but he was not an aggressive person. He had never hurt anyone."