Why do riots spread as they do?

[Jody]

Riots are exciting and since they break out suddenly police forces are usually inadequate to respond.

An immediate cause - there's always an immediate cause for riots to start, whether a small incident or a major event. The death of Mark Duggan for instance, was the immediate cause for the riots to start in London, but the spread of riots had little or nothing to do with his death.

Inherent problems - another reason riots start and spread is the existence of some inherent problem in the system that has been ignored for too long. This problem is usually so deep that even more sensible people are sometimes forced to take sides and join the rioting. It could be based on ethnicity, race, religion or some other criteria that drives deep wedges in the society.

Mob mentality - individuals suspend their own judgement and blindly indulge in the violent activities initiated by others around them

Instigators, people who have something to gain by triggering and seeing rioting continue are often effective in volatile conditions, whether they are hiding behind political leaders, dictators, religious leaders or local thugs.

Social media exacerbates the problem by sensationalistic press coverage, driving deeper wedges between opposing sides and can be the catalyst for triggering riots in other towns.