LONDON, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Police in the North London district of Tottenham said 26 of its officers were injured in rioting that began Saturday night and spilled into Sunday morning.
Much of the district was cordoned off Sunday as investigators combed through burned out buildings and cars and smashed windows were boarded up, the BBC said.
An estimated 300 people went on a rampage when darkness fell, smashing store windows, looting and throwing gasoline bombs, Sky News reported. Two police cars and a double-decker bus were torched.
Ambulance officials said 10 people were taken to hospitals with various injuries.
Police Commander Adrian Hanstock told reporters police were caught off guard.
"A peaceful vigil was hijacked by mindless thugs," he said. "We couldn't have anticipated that level of violence."
Sky News said one of its camera crews came under attack early Sunday and the crew withdrew.
The mayhem started as a community vigil for 29-year-old Mark Duggan. The father of four fired a handgun at an armed policeman Thursday who returned fire and killed him. The police officer's radio deflected Duggan's bullet, the reports said.
