(Image Source: BBC)

BY CHARLES STANLEY

ANCHOR AUSTIN KIM

You're watching multisource video news analysis from Newsy.

Absolute mayhem in the UK as riots continue.  What started near Tottenham has spread throughout the country.

Some 16,000 police officers are out on patrol and The Football Association called off England’s friendly against the Netherlands – because there are simply not enough police. Here’s ESPN. (Video: BBC)

“The decision was announced before the Dutch team traveled to England.  70,000 tickets have been sold for the match. Authorities believe that trying to secure the stadium while trying to contain the riots was too large of a burden for police. England striker Wayne Rooney making an appeal on Twitter, he says, ‘This is embarrassing for our country. Stop please.’”

And this wasn’t the first game canceled according to the Guardian. In just a few days the situation has exploded -- and now several games have gone by the wayside.

“West Ham, Charlton and Crystal Palace have been forced to postpone Carling Cup first-round games, while Bristol City against Swindon is also off. And indeed the start of the Premier League is in the balance, with police due to decide if this weekend's opening matches will go ahead by Thursday.”


According to the Telegraph, it’s quite possible all games for the upcoming weekend will be called off if the unrest continues. Players are doing what they can to influence the rioters by speaking out.  The Telegraph quotes FA chairman David Bernstein who says that’s a start -- but maybe unfair.

“I think it is a fair point to say the players do carry great weight in the importance they carry with youngsters. … But I think it's also a volatile situation so I don't think it would be fair to put the players in a position where they are dissecting the social debate."

A sign things could get worse -- and soccer might stay on hold for a while?  Amazon UK shows the top 7 selling items at the moment -- are all baseball bats and police batons -- up an average of about 3,000 percent. (Amazon)

So far more than 500 people have been arrested and one person killed as of Tuesday morning -- and police are considering using plastic bullets if the situation continues. Follow newsy on Twitter for all the latest videos on the situation in London.  

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