It isn't heavy-handed police that started the riots. It was the known fact that rioters can do whatever they like and the cops won't even break out the water cannons and the rubber bullets.This is exactly what started this mess, don't you realise that if the police start killing people on the streets the communities who these people belong to will be very upset. It's up to the parents to know where their children are.
People don't riot over trivial shit like one thug being shot unless they've been indulged and coddled and they know the state will treat them with kid gloves.