BOISE -- Thousands of extra police on the streets of London have kept the city quiet after three nights of rioting. But there's been an outbreak of looting in Manchester and Birmingham. There is also a murder investigation underway in Birmingham after the deaths of three men who were hit by a car.
Police across the country have made almost 1,200 arrests -- including 800 in London. Courts in London are in high gear, working day and night to process people charged in the rioting.
There to witness a lot of the rioting and destruction are some former Boise residents who now live near London.
"It's really amazing to be in a place where something like this is happening,” said Jody Lee.
Lee moved to from Boise to Ealing, which is in west London, just two and a half weeks ago to attend a masters program. She said she was shocked to see the destruction the rioters left in their wake.
"There were a couple places where every car was set on fire and every store was smashed," Lee said.
Lee said many of the businesses and shops near her home are now boarded up. She said it's hard to walk down the streets without a bit of trepidation.
"We've pretty much stuck close to home," Lee said. "We don't go out after 6:30, 7:00 at night because you don't know if they're going to come back on the streets again."
"It flared up pretty quick and seemed to catch everyone off guard,” said Tac Anderson.
Anderson, who is originally from Boise, moved to southwest London with his family a month ago for a job. He said that although he hasn't seen the riots firsthand, the news has gripped the nation.
"I think it's foolish to assume anyplace is safe,” Anderson said. “There's not a lot of order, not a lot of reasoning behind it.”
"It's terrible," said Juanita Clarke. "I've never been around anything like that.”
Clarke, also originally from Boise, now lives 24 miles outside London.
"You hear about things in the news and you're like, that'll never happen around me," Clarke said. "Well yeah, that does.”
These former Idaho residences are now hoping the rioting settles in their new country.
Anderson said some of the stores and restaurants they go to near their home have started closing early and some after-school activities for his children have been canceled over safety concerns.
