YouTube film of police clash with girl, 16, that 'sparked riot'

Clash: rioting in Tottenham

Benedict Moore-Bridger
8 Aug 2011

A video on YouTube shows a clash between a 16-year-old girl and police which is believed to have been a key spark for the Tottenham riots.

The clip, in which the girl can be seen apparently lying prostrate on the ground surrounded by officers, has been viewed by 26,000 people on the website.
In the video, demonstrators can be heard shouting at police to leave the girl alone and accusing them of attacking her.
The clash took place on Saturday evening during a protest outside Tottenham police station.
Witnesses said what had been a peaceful demonstration over the death of Mark Duggan turned violent when about 15 riot police pushed the girl to the floor.
Tensions had already been raised after the group - including community leaders, relatives of Mr Duggan and his fiancée Semone Wilson -complained of being left waiting for hours before being able to speak to a police officer.
The teenage girl, a friend of the dead man, is thought to have hurled a champagne bottle which she had brought to the demonstration.
The video was entitled TOTTENHAM RIOTS 2011, YOUNG GIRL ATTACKED AND LEFT WITH FACIAL AND HEAD INJURIES, BLEEDING!
In it, a girl can be heard screaming at police: "It's a f***ing girl, it's a f***ing girl. Look how he is dealing with her."
Laurence Bailey, who was standing nearby, said the girl was "pounded by 15 riot shields". He said: "She went down on the floor but once she managed to get up she was hit again before being half-dragged away by her friend."
Other onlookers said the girl was hit with batons before the crowds retaliated with a hail of missiles.
Ms Wilson, 29, said she had some sympathy with the police. "I heard she went with a champagne bottle. They would not have attacked her for no reason. She had a bottle in her hand and threw it," she said.
Renata Dobiesz, 31, who lives opposite the police station, said the worst violence began at about 8.30pm when groups of youngsters began prowling the street. She said: "The people at the demonstration left pretty quickly, and then there were these youngsters -people with hoods - who started smashing everything.
"The police did nothing. They should have just snatched them all up but they just kept pushing them back and they kept coming forwards."
Shops were ransacked and looted, and police cars, buses and buildings were set alight during the rioting.
A total of 61 people were arrested in Tottenham after Saturday's violence and the High Road was still sealed off today.
Daniel Cornish, 50, said he feared for his life when the shop below his flat was attacked and a bus set on fire outside his front door. He said: "I could see people running and shouting outside breaking into shops, setting fire to things. There was black smoke pouring into my house from the bus outside so I called 999 because I thought the flames would reach my roof from the next door building which was on fire but they said they could not come down the street because it was too dangerous. I've only lived here for a year but I'm going to move after this. It's too much."
Yemlika Dogon, 36, who works in a newsagents in the High Road, said people had tried to break into the shop during the riots. He said: "We had to shut and lock the doors. We could see cars burning outside and people were trying to get in but thankfully they didn't."
Resident Marilyn Barnett, 50, said the trouble was caused by people from outside Tottenham. She said: "They came into the area to break it up. My friend came out and was almost killed for his watch and chain. It is frightening. I was scared who might come into the house. I'm just glad my daughter is away on holiday."
Mr Duggan's mother Pamela, who was not at the protest, said she had been overwhelmed by developments in the past few days.

She said: "I cannot leave the house. I can't sleep, eat, I can't think.
"I'm just devastated by everything that has happened. I have lost my son and nothing will bring him back."