You make it sound like the children are not rioters. They are wearing balaclavas, are raiding the shops and are mugging people using their enormous numbers. At what height should a person be before you hit them with a night-stick? You can't guess age from someone in a hoody covering their face. Is it ok if they hit the teenage girls too? They're just scum after all.
"Won't somebody please think of the children?!"
Dude they aren't going to randomly fire into crowds, they target the individuals who are causing problems. I highly doubt that would encompass these 11-12 year olds, of which there would be very few anyway.
Fuck I hate when people use children as an excuse to win sympathy.