I think they’re going to have to go all the way on this one.
Start with rubber bullets and make it clear that its up to them if it ends with rubber or lead.
Jesus went there to mine lead. Where’d it all go?
Government is best defined as the toughest, best supported gang in a given geographical location. The government of England finds itself flummoxed and stimied about how exactly to stop thugs, vandals, and thieves despite the supposedly superior training, numbers and resources of the police.
The London police could effectively end the riots. They would need to get the cell phone companies to work with them to identify looter messaging traffic and black out certain areas where the looters are operating. They would need to use there air and surveillance assets (London is loaded with police cameras) to quickly track and corral individuals and groups.
Lastly, and most importantly, the police need to be utterly brutal with any looter that does not surrender peacably. Otherwise, the largest, best organized, best equipped, and best supported gang in an area doesn’t mean a thing.