London braced for third night of riots

Britain's capital was braced for its third night of rioting tonight as Scotland Yard beefed up its presence to deal robustly with looting thugs.

Police chiefs, politicians and community leaders condemned "opportunistic criminality" amid warnings of more widespread violence on London's streets.

More than 100 people were arrested overnight and early this morning after boroughs in north, south and east London fell victim to copycat rampages following trouble in Tottenham on Saturday.

As minor skirmishes broke out again between police and hooded youths in Hackney this afternoon, British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said "big scars" would be left from consecutive nights of rioting.

Mr Clegg, who returned from holiday this morning, condemned the violence earlier as "completely unacceptable".

British Home Secretary Theresa May was arriving back in London to meet acting Metropolitan Police commissioner Tim Godwin.

Scenes of violence in Hackney echoed those in other areas of the capital over the past two nights, with skirmishes between gangs of youths and police, reportedly prompted by a stop and search incident earlier today.

Rioters, many wearing hoods and masks, were confronted by police lines spanning the width of streets, occasionally moving forward to push the groups back.

Officers in riot gear tried to control the situation, coming under fire from objects including chairs and pieces of wood.

At one point several people broke into the back of a stationary lorry, pulling its contents out on to the road, with some hurling it at police and others using it to smash windows of a bus.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is interrupting his family holiday to return to the capital to deal with the situation.

His spokesman said: "He will be back in London tomorrow lunchtime."

Mr Clegg is to attend a community event in south London this evening where he will say: "Earlier this afternoon I saw for myself the loss and devastation caused by mindless destruction in Tottenham.

"But, more than anything - more than the smashed-up buildings, the empty shops, the sight of so many police on the streets - I was struck by the determination of local people to stand together against the violence.

"They won't allow their community to be torn apart by a minority of thieves and troublemakers and, right now, people across the capital, across the country, and the Government too, are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Tottenham as we begin to put right the damage that has been done."