Extra police on patrol as cops fear more violence on streets of London following Hyde Park chaos
More officers will be deployed through to the weekend after Tuesday's violent clashes across the city amid heat-wave
METROPOLITAN police have increased officers on duty and cancelled police leave in preparation for more violence in the capital amid the heat-wave.
The move comes after Tuesday night's disturbances in the city which saw four people and a cop stabbed, and a supermarket and McDonald's restaurant looted.
Clashes between officers and youths occurred at three separate London locations.
Cops have launched an investigation into the Hyde Park disorder which was apparently sparked after officers prevented members of the crowd from setting up a sound system.
Thousands of sun-seekers had gathered in the central London park to make the most of the scorching weather on the hottest day of the year.
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But at around 3pm, hundreds of people - believed to have been mostly teens - started participating in a spontaneous "water fight" that had been advertised on social media.
The "fight" descended into chaos as five officers were injured, including one who was stabbed, while three members of the public were wounded.
Disturbances also occurred at an unlicensed music event at a Hackney council estate and a water fight at Burgess Park, south London.
Preparing for a potential round two as the hot weather continues, the force said in a statement: "We’ve increased the number of police officers on duty, and cancelled anymore leave so we keep extra officers out on our streets right through until the weekend.”
As well as extra officers, the Met by Wednesday afternoon issued pictures of suspects sought in connection with the trouble in and around Hyde Park and said that detectives were trawling through CCTV and video footage shot by its officers and members of the public.
Commander Nick Downing appealed for public help for “any information about future plans for such disorder”.
Downing said the three events on Tuesday were unplanned and that police had acted proportionately but had been faced with violence: “A lovely day in the capital turned violent in Hyde Park, Burgess Park and Stamford Hill last night after spontaneous events turned nasty and people attacked each other and the police."