Rioters get a rude awakening after police launch dawn raids across London

'There are many, many more of us than you,' crowds chanted.

Suspected rioters got quite the awakening this morning as police conducted a wave of dawn raids, arresting 10 people.

Met Commissioner Mark Rowley confirmed that one sting saw 20 officers bursting through the door of a man in south London at 5.30am.

‘Those we’ve arrested aren’t protestors, patriots or decent citizens,’ Rowley said. ‘They’re thugs and criminals.’

It comes the morning after tens of thousands of protesters spilt out onto the streets of major UK towns and cities in a stunning rejection of the far-right riots.

Yesterday evening was set to be among the most violent yet, with 6,000 officers bracing themselves for 100 race riots and 39 attacks against immigration services coordinated across a shadowy network of Telegram groups.

More than 400 people have been put in cuffs for their alleged role in the rallies, with about 140 charged so far. Two men involved in unrest in Merseyside last week are in court today.