Rioting, looting and burning of shops continued for the third day today in London as unemployed youth smashed shop windows, hurled bottles and set fire to the shops freely even in the presence of police.

It all began on Saturday in London’s northern Tottenham district when a peaceful protest over the police shooting of a suspect two days earlier turned violent. Since then there is no let up in the looting and destruction of shops as the violence spread across London by Monday morning.

While observers described the unrest as the worst in some decades, Prime Minister David Cameron cut short his holiday in Italy and flew back home to initiate steps to tackle the violence.

Birmingham in central England and London’s busiest places Clapham Junction and Ealing area are the worst sufferers of the violence.

In London’s Hackney area where people of Asian races and others live, hooded youths set fire to rubbish bins and threw them towards police. Youngsters also attacked police with bottles and bricks.

“It was needless, opportunistic theft and violence, nothing more, nothing less. It is completely unacceptable," said Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. “We will bring them to justice,” he said.