LONDON, Aug 17, 2011 (AFP) - Prince Charles and his wife Camilla visited Tottenham on Wednesday, meeting families and businesses in the deprived borough of north London who suffered as a result of rioting last week.
"Welcome to Tottenham," said a resident as the heir to the British throne arrived at the local leisure centre, which has been turned into an aid centre for those who lost their homes during burning and looting on August 6.
Violence broke out in the multi-ethnic neighbourhood in north London following the police shooting of a local man, Mark Duggan, two days earlier.
The rioting and arson attacks destroyed many shops and flats on the main road and left up to 200 people homeless.
Over the next three days copycat violence spread, first to other parts of London and then to other major cities such as Manchester and Birmingham, in the worst civil unrest seen in England for decades.
Charles, the heir to the throne, and Camilla broke off their summer holiday in Scotland to make the visit, and after being greeted by local schoolchildren, they were due to meet with families and emergency services.