United Kingdom

The sight of scurrying looters and widespread rioting across multiple English cities may be an unusual one. But the disorder has a 21st-century precedent in another overheated August.

The television images will take many back to the 2011 riots, which engulfed London before spreading to other cities and were considered the worst week of public disorder to hit Britain for 200 years.

Then, like now, Keir Starmer was involved in quelling the disturbances. In 2011, he was the director of public prosecutions who kept the courts open for 24 hours a day to process offenders and allowed magistrates to pass longer and tougher sentences.

This time, as prime minister, he has accused far-right agitators of mercilessly exploiting the deaths of three girls to fuel attacks on asylum seekers and people of colour.

Below, we examine the parallels and differences between the riots which happened 13 years apart.