Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old father, was shot during a police operation targeting gun crime in London’s black community, which fueled longstanding mistrust towards the police.

Following Duggan's death, a coroner's jury later ruled that he was lawfully killed but confirmed he was unarmed at the time.

Duggan's death raised controversy due to conflicting reports, including a false claim by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) that he had fired at officers.

On August 6, 2011, around 300 people marched from Broadwater Farm estate to Tottenham police station seeking justice for Duggan, who was shot dead by police two days earlier.

The initial peaceful protest turned violent as clashes erupted between protesters and police, leading to widespread looting and arson, with social media playing a significant role in organizing the riots.

The protest escalated into five nights of unrest across London and other UK cities, involving approximately 20,000 participants and resulting in £500 million in damages, nearly 4,000 arrests, five deaths, and dozens of injuries.

The riots sparked a national debate about the balance between deterrence and fairness in sentencing, particularly regarding the use of social media to incite unrest.

Sir Keir Starmer, then director of public prosecutions, oversaw the legal response and emphasized that the swift processing of cases helped quell the violence.

The judicial response to the riots was unprecedented, with courts operating 24/7 to process offenders, and many receiving harsher sentences than usual.

By August 10, 2011, over 16,000 police officers were deployed to restore order, following days of chaos reminiscent of the anti-Catholic Gordon riots of 1780.