Shocking video footage shows yobs setting fires, looting and rioting in city centres in Leeds and Hull.

Masked troublemakers, many clad in St George's flags, are seen clashing with police officers and smashing shop windows.

One onlooker in Hull, East Yorks., is heard encouraging others throwing missiles at a Specsavers to: "Go get me some Raybans." "

In another video, rioters are seen using metal chairs to smash the storefront window of Shoezone before rampaging through the shop.

Terrified shop workers were forced to lock their doors as rioters tried to force their way inside the stores on Saturday (3/8) afternoon.

Meanwhile looters launched bath bombs stolen from a Lush store at police.

Protests spread across the UK with similar protests in Liverpool, Nottingham, Hull and Bristol.

The demonstrations follow those in Southport after three young girls were stabbed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday dance class.

Footage from Leeds in North Yorkshire shows flag-wearing protestors clashing with police as one man is bundled into a wagon and taken away.

Henry James, 18, witnessed scenes of rioting in both Leeds and Hull.

He described the chaotic scenes in Hull as being akin to a 'war zone', saying: "There wasn't anything you could compare it to. I have never seen anything like this. "

"I was down in hull to go to St Stephen's Shopping Centre to go to the shops to get some groceries. "

"[The shopping centre] was on lockdown."

"At first when I arrived at Jameson Street where the riot was taking place, lots of kids and men throwing stuff at the police... scaffolding, rocks, wheelie bins filled with stuff - anything they could get their hands on. "

"They started using the fire extinguishers to smash the way into shops - Shoe Zone, Greggs and O2. "

"The police watched from afar as this all unfolded... They had no control over it. "

"They started creating fires in the doorways of Shoe Zone. "

"Rioters smashed their way into Lush shop and started to loot, then using the bath bombs to throw at police. "

"Shop workers in shops like Morrisons had to lock themselves in as the rioters were trying to smash their way in. "

"They started to smash the doors in... glass was everywhere and [the workers] had to put the shutters down to seek safety."

"How can people turn a peaceful protest into riots?"

"They didn't have enough police on and [the rioters] knew they could get away with it."