I found this on another forum
I live in Tottenham - actually I live directly opposite the main police station. This is basically what I saw. I didn't know there was going to be any demonstration and heard a bit of noise but honestly, it's quite a noisy area so didn't think anything of it. Then at about 8/8.30pm things started to get quite frightening.
We saw the police move into a line and police on the streets were throwing things at the police. It looked like stones and rocks although later became flaming wheelie bins and what looked to be shop fittings (my partner claims he saw a fridge being thrown or part of one).
Then we saw the cars go up in flames, they were quite near us. That's when I realised that this was getting really out of hand and the police moved around where we are and more and more kept arriving.
We saw the bus and the buildings around us go up in flames like an inferno. That was probably one of the most frightening parts. People below the flat were shouting out to the police. I can't remember their exact words but quite abusive and dismissive.
We were worried that the fires on the high street were not being tackled and they were really gutwrenching.
We didn't see much of the looting first hand because we didn't leave the property (of course) but at one point, early on, I called a friend of mine because I was scared and asked if we could come round. I wanted out of the area. She pointed out with much more clarity than me that the best thing we could do want not leave where we were. At least we were surrounded by police but it didn't feel that safe when the fires were raging down the streets.
We heard lots of dogs barking at one point and weren't sure if they were police dogs or the dogs of the rioters because the accompanying shouting was too aggressive and angry.
Then the fire engines got through and the horses and the armoured black riot vans.
It seemed to quieten down nearer to us but it seemed to volatile and I didn't sleep last night.
Last night I was so angry with people who choose this way to destroy my community. I live in Tottenham and I have been sick of the sneery ways that people regard us. Some of the 'twitter jokes' last night were really really sad and almost broke my heart with the way that some people thought this was a big joke or that Tottenham isn't 'worth saving'.
There are a lot of very good people here. The looting wasn't a part of the demonstration. People came from all over London to 'join in' and the community I live in has been ruined.
Now, beyond the anger, I'm sad, desperately sad.
This wasn't just about a policing, this was about mindless violence and aggression by disaffected and alienated youth and not just in Tottenham.
Meanwhile the people I know, the shops I visit, my neighbours have had their lives ripped apart and the community which is wracked by poverty and joblessness is further labeled and further disadvantaged.
I don't want people to think that Tottenham is a hopeless place. It is my home and my community and I love living here but I really truly despise people who have destroyed it.
Do you think there were provocateurs that started this? It seems any peaceful protest that gets out of hand this quickly usually means the cops are looking to justify a bigger budget (G20, Vancouver Stanley cup riot). This area seems depressed and possibly they want to "clean it up" by burning and looting and then start all over, raise rents, kick the low income out, possibly put them in prisons (Prison Industrial Complex).
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14442821" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
He said police had simply not expected the level of violence they saw following the initial protest - and there was not enough of them on the front line.
"What happened on Saturday was that they were under-resourced and they didn't anticipate the levels of violence and vandalism," said Mr Ramm.
"In a perfect situation you would have all the resources you need and had you had those resources on Saturday you would not have allowed looting and damage to property."
Yep, bigger budgets coming right up. Same as everywhere else. They're going to pull the austerity measures and be ready after they justify their increased police budgets.
