British police say expect more riots

British police expect another outburst of rioting in London, possibly even this summer, as economic hardship pushes more people towards social unrest, a study found on Monday, as the country prepares to host the Olympic Games.

Thousands of angry young people rioted through the streets of London and other big cities last August, looting shops and burning buildings, prompting pledges from government to crack down on crime.

The joint study by Britain's left-leaning Guardian newspaper and the London School of Economics was based on interviews with 130 officers caught up in the riots.

It found that the police expect more trouble but feel their ability to respond could be weakened by austerity measures.

The government wants to make cuts of about 20 percent to police budgets. Like all public sector workers, officers also face pay freezes and higher pension contributions. (...)