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'Fightback' under way, says Cameron
The prime minister vows that "fightback" is under way, in the wake of a fourth night of violence that shook cities in England with unprecedented violence and looting.
David Cameron said every action would be taken to restore order, with contingency plans for water cannon to be available at 24 hours' notice.
The statements come as, on Tuesday night, unrest spread to cities including Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, Nottingham and Birmingham.
Three men aged 31, 30 and 21 died when they were hit by a car in Birmingham in what was reportedly a deliberate attack by looters on locals trying to defend their homes and businesses.
Cameron, speaking after a meeting of the government's Cobra emergency committee, said police had the legal backing to use any tactics necessary to bring the situation under control, including using baton rounds (plastic bullets).
"This continued violence is simply not acceptable, and it will be stopped. We will not put up with this in our country. We will not allow a culture of fear to exist on our streets,” he said.
Association of Chief Police Officers president Sir Hugh Orde has so far ruled out using water cannon or baton rounds (plastic bullets), saying the tactics were not suited to the current unrest.
"Water cannon are used to deal with fixed crowds to buy distance," he said. "The evidence... is showing very clearly these are fast-moving crowds, where water cannon would not be appropriate."
He added that baton rounds would only be deployed when his officers' lives were under serious threat.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary Theresa May told the
Earlier, Cameron said: "We have seen the worst of Britain, but I also believe we have seen some of the best of Britain - the million people who have signed up on Facebook to support the police, coming together in the clean-up operations."
He said more arrests would take place as police worked through CCTV evidence.
"There are pockets of our society that are not just broken, but are frankly sick.
"It is a complete lack of responsibility in parts of our society, people allowed to feel the world owes them something, that their rights outweigh their responsibilities and their actions do not have consequences. Well, they do have consequences."
