Leeds was hit by violent disorder on Thursday, which led to five arrests in the Harehills area. Videos on social media show crowds of people in the streets, and a police car was flipped over while a bus was later set on fire. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, spoke about the issue and mentioned that the responsible individuals should face the full force of the law. She added that the scenes of criminality were unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
West Yorkshire Police was called to the area after social workers raised concerns when they faced hostility while dealing with a child protection matter. Damage was caused to vehicles as the disorder escalated and several fires were set. The Assistant Chief Constable, Pat Twiggs, reassured the public that the officers are working to identify and apprehend those responsible. He also urged people with information to come forward.
The Leeds City Council, along with the Romanian and Roma Community, said that there would be an “urgent review” of the matter which sparked the disorder, adding that “local people are devastated by what happened, we want to ensure there is no repeat of the distressing scenes we saw. Such actions will have long-lasting damage to our community.”
West Yorkshire Police will provide an increased presence in the area over the coming days. Pat Twiggs urged the responsible individuals to do the right thing and hand themselves in to the police before the investigation begins. The police hope to find the individuals responsible for the criminality swiftly to reassure the public and ensure a similar occurrence will not happen again in the future
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