Scenes From the London Riots

In some of the worst disorder seen on the streets of London in years, riots across the capital city began Aug 6, have continued for days and have now spread to other cities in England.

Hundreds have been detained by police,as violence has continued for days on the streets of London, although officials blame copycat criminals for prolonging the disorder. The hardest-hit area by far has been Tottenham, where residents identified “greedy youths” as primarily responsible for the looting and destruction, noting that they were aided by communication via text messaging and social networking sites.

The Metropolitan Police Service are also being criticized for allowing the violence to escalate, since they will be responsible for keeping order during next year’s Summer Olympics in London.

Click ahead for scenes from the destruction in London. 

Updated 10 Aug 2011

Police disperse youths during riots in Birmingham City Centre on August 8, 2011 in Birmingham, England. After three nights of rioting and looting in and around London, the chaos is starting to spread to other cities around Britain.

A shop burns on Market Street in Manchester City Centre on August 9, 2011 in Manchester, England.

A workman stands guard beside the charred remains of the Reeves furniture shop in Croydon, south of London, on August 10, 2011, following riots in the area on Monday night. Prime Minister David Cameron said a 'fightback' was underway Wednesday after four nights of violent riots as he authorised police to use water cannon for the first time in mainland Britain.

A burnt out car is pictured in Toxteth, Liverpool, on August 10, 2011, following a fourth night of violence in Britain.

Police walk past a burning car during riots in Birmingham City Centre on August 8, 2011 in Birmingham, England. After three nights of rioting and looting in and around London, the chaos is starting to spread to other cities around Britain.

People walk past fire-damaged shops and flats in Clapham Junction on August 10, 2011 in London, England. As trouble erupted through the night in other major cities across England, London remained mostly quiet after 16,000 police were deployed.

Firefighters battle a massive blaze at the Sony distribution centre in Waltham Abbey, north of London during the riots.

An aerial view of the Sony distribution center engulfed in fire on the 9th August, 2011 in London. Widespread looting, arson and clashes with police continued for a third day in parts of the capital, as well as in Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol, as the disruption carries into a fourth night.

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: A girl looks at damage caused by looters in a pawn shop on Clapham High Street on August 8, 2011 in London, England. Sporadic looting and clashes with police continue for a third day in parts of the capital after the killing of the 29 year-old father of four Mark Duggan by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

TOTTENHAM, LONDON - AUGUST 08: (L - R) Tottenham MP David Lammy and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg meet local residents and business people including Pizza shop owner Mohammed Nabi Ayubi after rioting broke out in Tottenham on Saturday night on August 8, 2011 in London, England. Pockets of rioting and looting took place across some parts of London in the early hours of Monday morning prompted by earlier rioting in Tottenham in North London. Disturbances broke out late on Saturday night in Tottenham and the surrounding area after the killing of Mark Duggan, 29 and a father-of-four, by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Stefan Rousseau - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 09: Firefighters battle a large fire that broke out in shops and residential properties in Croydon on August 9, 2011 in London, England. Sporadic looting and clashes with police continue for a third day in parts of the capital after the killing of the 29-year-old father of four Mark Duggan by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Riot police protect the entrance to Debenhams department store in Clapham Junction, south London on 8 August 2011. Now in it's third night of unrest, London has seen sporadic outbreaks of looting and clashes both north and south of the river Thames. Two police cars and a large number of buildings were on Saturday set ablaze in Tottenham, north London following a protest over the fatal shooting of a 29-year-old man in an armed stand-off with officers. The patrol cars were torched as dozens gathered outside the police station on the High Road in Tottenham. AFP PHOTO/LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: Youths loot a Carhartt store in Hackney on August 8, 2011 in London, England. Pockets of rioting and looting continues to take place in various parts of London this evening prompted by the initial rioting in Tottenham and then in Brixton on Sunday night. Disturbances broke out late on Saturday night in Tottenham and the surrounding area after the killing of Mark Duggan, 29 and a father-of-four, by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: A rioter throws a rock at riot police in Clarence Road in Hackney on August 8, 2011 in London, England. Pockets of rioting and looting continues to take place in various boroughs of London this evening, as well as in Birmingham, prompted by the initial rioting in Tottenham and then in Brixton on Sunday night. It has been announced that the Prime Minister David Cameron and his family are due to return home from their summer holiday in Tuscany, Italy to respond to the rioting. Disturbances broke out late on Saturday night in Tottenham and the surrounding area after the killing of Mark Duggan, 29 and a father-of-four, by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 09: Burnt out cars are left in Ealing Green following a night of rioting on August 9, 2011 in London, England. Sporadic looting, arson and clashes with police continued for a third day in parts of the capital, as well as in Liverpool, Birmingham and Bristol. (Photo by Jim Dyson/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: A policeman looks at a damaged patrol car in Church Street in Enfield on August 8, 2011 in London, England. Pockets of rioting and looting took place across some parts of London in the early hours of Monday morning prompted by earlier rioting in Tottenham in North London. Disturbances broke out late on Saturday night in Tottenham and the surrounding area after the killing of Mark Duggan, 29 and a father-of-four, by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 08: Two young men are detained outside the Currys electrical store in Brixton on August 8, 2011 in London, England. Widespread rioting and looting took place across many parts of London in the early hours of Monday morning in a reaction to earlier rioting in Tottenham in North London. Major disturbances broke out late on Saturday night in Tottenham and the surrounding area after the killing of Mark Duggan, 29 and a father-of-four, by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 09: Local residents gather as firefighters examine the aftermath of a fire in the Party Store after last night's rioting at Clapham Junction on August 9, 2011 in London, England. Sporadic looting and clashes with police continued yesterday for a third day in parts of the capital after the killing of the 29 year-old father of four Mark Duggan by armed police in an attempted arrest on August 4. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

A double-decker bus burns as riot police try to contain a large group of people on a main road in Tottenham, North London, on Aug. 6.

Two young men are detained outside the Currys electrical store in Brixton. Widespread rioting and looting took place across many parts of London in the early hours of Monday in a reaction to earlier rioting in Tottenham in North London.

Remains of burnt-out vehicles after riots on Tottenham High Road on Aug. 7.

The morning of Aug. 7, police and emergency services clean up and contain the scene on Tottenham High Road.

Youths use aerosol cans to set fire to shelves of goods inside a retail store on Tottenham High Road.

Residents watch as a building burns after riots in Tottenham, North London. Rioting broke out in Tottenham and the surrounding area two days after the killing of Mark Duggan, 29, a father of four, by armed police in an attempted arrest on Aug. 4.

Youths face off with riot police after protesting against the killing of a local man by armed police in an attempted arrest.

From Tottenham, North London, rioting spread to the neighboring area of Enfield. More than 100 arrests were made by the following evening. Three people were injured, as were 26 police officers.

A Carpetright store burns in Tottenham after being set on fire by youths. Several other buildings were targeted by rioters, with reports of looting in the area also taking place.

Rioting continued throughout Saturday night. Reports suggested local gangs were partly responsible for criminal acts against both property and police officers.

A fireman stands near the smouldering remains of a burnt-out building after the Tottenham, North London, riots. Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused by the riots.

Emergency services hose down smouldering buildings on Aug. 7. Rioting would take place for a second night and spread to neighboring boroughs in North East London.

A boy cycles past a burnt-out police car. Two police cars were set ablaze as dozens gathered outside the police station on the High Road in Tottenham, North London.

A view of sports reatiler JD Sports shows the damage from violence not seen in North London since 1985.

Police contain the scene in Tottenham on Aug. 7. The cleanup operation began a few hours after police were able to regain control of the streets. Police indicated they would be reviewing CCTV footage of the riots and that more arrests were likely. So far, 155 people have been arrested.

A fireman stands outside a burning building. Commercial properties and some residential properties were set on fire. Local residents have called for calm.