British pop star Jamelia has spoken of her heartbreak over the riots which engulfed Britain earlier this month (Aug11), and she's calling for looters to stop their criminal behaviour.
The U.K. was hit with four days of unrest, during which shops were looted and set on fire while violence spread through cities including London and Manchester.
Jamelia was so shocked at the incidents, which also hit her native Birmingham, she took to the internet to plead with her fans to rethink before joining in with the disturbance.
She tells Britain's Daily Star, "When I saw the first day of the riots I was surprised more than anything, I didn't expect anything like that. But then when I saw how it escalated and spread, and how other cities around the U.K. joined in, I was heartbroken, I really was.
"I actually sent out my own broadcast, I wrote: 'Dear rioters, whoever's thinking of doing this, this is ridiculous. Stop and think about what you are doing, you are ransacking local businesses. People are helping to keep your own communities on their feet and you are going to go there and loot'."
Police chiefs are deploying 10,000 officers out in the British capital over the weekend (28-29Aug11) for fear of more riots during the annual Notting Hill Carnival.