The Riots: The Police Fight for the Streets During the UK’s Deadly 2011 Riots

THE GRIPPING STORY OF THE UK'S DEADLY 2011 RIOTS AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF THE POLICE FROM A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE BBC DOCUMENTARY ‘THE RIOTS’ - WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION FOR THE TEN-YEAR ANNIVERSARY

‘An orgy of wanton, murderous violence’ Tony Parsons

‘Britain’s worst unrest for two decades’ New York Times

In August 2011 the shooting of Mark Duggan by the police sparked an explosion of rioting and lawlessness across the UK. Mobs went on the rampage and terrifying scenes of destruction and violence unfolded. Homes and businesses were burnt to the ground, thousands were arrested, many hundreds were injured and five people were killed.

The Riots is the untold story 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.

Full of the kind of heroism we are used to seeing on the battlefield, The Riots features stories of astonishing bravery from the lethal frontline of British policing. It is as thrilling, controversial and important as real-life stories can get.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE RIOTS...
‘Awesome. To say that parts of the narrative made my blood turn cold is not an exaggeration.’
‘I had chills up my spine … It's an intense read.’
‘I cannot imagine the amount of work that went into this book, the research. It stands as a brilliant documentation of the experience for those on the ground and a thrilling read for those of us who just couldn't understand what the hell happened.’
‘What an absolutely fabulous read. It conveys how it must feel to be in a riot situation and tells the tales of our brave Police officers who put themselves in the line of danger when anarchy takes hold.’
‘The images of widespread looting and criminality were appalling, though I did read most bookshops got away relatively unscathed, but then again eunuchs don't steal condoms!’