The Clapham riot occurred the day after the Brixton riot and at around the same time as the Croydon riot. At approximately 7.30pm, around 60 youths began attacking police on the Winstanley housing estate, one of the more deprived districts in the borough, which was adjacent to the main shopping centre. By about 8.10pm, police could no longer withstand these sustained attacks and withdrew. This seems to be the point where the disorder escalated, spreading to the main thoroughfares and shopping centres where other people had already converged. From 8.30pm onwards, people began breaking into shops. Police withdrew for over an hour. Much of the looting occurred in this period. The disturbances escalated in a continuing pattern of attacks and withdrawals between police and rioters. Just before midnight, police reinforcements enabled them to begin to regain control.

The full triangulated account for Clapham can be found here.