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LONDON, United Kingdon – Martial law seems imminent as 16,000 police officers, nearly twice the police officers in Haiti, will take to the streets in the captial city of London to hopefully prevent a fourth night of manifestations, rioting and looting.

UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to restore order, meeting with Parliament on Thursday in response to what he describes as “sickening scenes”. Metropolitcan Police, which has already drafted in support from 30 other forces, says it will consider using plastic bullets. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stephen Kavanagh said use of the ammunition – never before fired to deal with riots in England – would be “considered carefully”. But he added: “That does not mean we are scared of using any tactic.”

Special constables and community support officers have ensured five times the number of law enforcement officers for a Tuesday but yet in Scotland Yard, a 26-year-old man was found shot in a car in Croydon, amid rioting in the south London town, had died in hospital.

Prime Minister Cameron has condemened the events in recent days calling them “sickening scenes of people looting, vandalising, thieving, robbing…” 525 arrests and more than 100 people have been charged as of Tuesday.

Cameron has told rioters: “You will feel the full force of the law. And if you are old enough to commit these crimes, you are old enough to face the punishment.” The recall of Parliament will allow MPs to “stand together in condemnation of these crimes and to stand together in determination to rebuild these communities”, he said.

The prime minister was forced to return early from his holiday in Tuscany to deal with the unrest, which first flared on Saturday. The situation began after a peaceful protest in Tottenham over the fatal shooting of a man, a father, by police.

Origin of Manifestations

Monday’s violence started in north London, at about 4:20 pm local time after a man was stopped and searched by police, who found nothing.

Groups of people began attacking officers, wrecking cars with wooden poles and metal bars, and looting shops. Violence then flared separately in other parts of the capital.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who also cut short a holiday to return, was heckled by the members of the public while viewing damage in Clapham Junction on Tuesday.

Some people have complained there have been too few police to deal with the violence. Mr Johnson told those gathered that those responsible for the violence “face punishment they will bitterly, bitterly regret”.

However, when challenged to do more for communities, Mr Johnson rejected “economic or social justifications” for the violence.

War Zone

Christian Potts, 29, described Ealing, west London, as “like a war zone”.

“There were about 25 to 30 masked youths on Haven Green and they just started tearing into a florist with bricks. It’s a local family-run business so I can’t see why they are doing this.” Home Secretary Theresa May said the authorities could deal with the situation through robust policing, good use of intelligence and with the support of local communities.

She called on anyone involved in the violence to speak to police.