Vehicles were set on fire and a police car was overturned as riots erupted on the streets of Leeds on Thursday. Police clashed with crowds throughout the night, with helicopters and riot control officers deployed to the area.


Livestream footage on social media showed a double-decker bus being set on fire as several people filled it with flammable materials, and another incident saw rioters throwing debris at police as they attempted to diffuse the situation.


Other videos showed an overturned police car on the road with its blue lights flashing, sirens blaring, car alarms going off and crowds of people in the street – some of them shouting.


Police confirmed no one was injured in the events, and are urging people with information to come forward as investigations begin.





A statement from West Yorkshire Police said: “We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible.


“Residents who have perhaps gathered to observe the incidents are asked to keep away from the disorder while officers manage the incident.”


Here is everything we know about the riots that took place in Leeds last night.





What sparked the riots?
In a statement released on Thursday, West Yorkshire Police said officers were called at 5pm to an “ongoing disturbance which involved some agency workers and some children”.


This incident took place at Luxor Street in the Harehills area of central Leeds. Police said a “crowd started to gather” in response, adding “pockets of disorder” broke out after the agency workers and children were removed.


Assistant chief constable Pat Twiggs said in a statement on Friday afternoon: “Responding officers were attacked and helped children’s social care staff withdraw to a place of safety.


“As the disorder escalated, damage was caused to vehicles and several fires set.


“We continually assessed the situation and took the decision to deploy specialist public order officers who then came under a barrage of bricks and missiles from a large group.”


Mr Twiggs said a decision was made to temporarily withdraw officers when it became “evident that the police was their sole target”, in order to calm tensions.


Leeds City Council’s chief executive Tom Riordan confirmed to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the disorder was triggered by a “family incident”.


He said: “There was a family incident earlier in the day that police attended and our officials attended that the local community got concerned about and that appeared to be the trigger of concern for the groups of people.


“I can’t go into any detail. It was a family incident and as always in Leeds we have outstanding rated services... it was an incident that was probably misinterpreted I would say.”


Riesa, a pharmacy dispenser who did not want to give her last name, said she witnessed “quite violent” scenes.


“They were attacking police cars, throwing things at the police cars – anything they could pick up off the floor really. Rocks from the garden, rubbish, drinks, anything,” said the 26-year-old, who lives off Harehills Lane.





Councillor Mothin Ali was present during the disorder. “Once the police withdrew, it encouraged the crowds to become even more violent,” he said.


Mr Ali was filmed dramatically kicking away a wheelie bin being dragged towards a fire while stopping an adult throwing a wooden pallet with the other hand. Despite some seizing on the footage of Mr Ali and using it as an opportunity to blame him for the riots, many praised him for his “heroic” behaviour.


Witnesses said between 6pm and 7pm crowds continued to grow as more rioters and watchers gathered.


When she returned home, Riesa said she then heard “chanting and screaming” from outside, adding it sounded like “a thousand people”.


“Looking out the window, you can see that people were attacking cars that were just at the traffic light trying to go past them, but they wouldn’t turn around because I think they were getting quite scared because there were so many people,” she continued.


“A few minutes after that, looking out my house, I could just see big black smoke coming from the main road.


“My husband said that they were pulling bins from people’s businesses or houses and just putting them into the middle of the road full of rubbish and just setting it on fire.”

	bet within our means

quote originally posted by Eleven Men:

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Troublemakers who just wanna stir things up

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quote originally posted by dragonson:

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at UK still happened this kind of issue

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UK immigrants finally show their true colour and
stab the English in the front, side and back.

The UK gov immigration policy finally has proven one thing,
they have fail big time

	bet within our means

quote originally posted by Eleven Men:

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Troublemakers who just wanna stir things up

---

quote originally posted by dragonson:

---

at UK still happened this kind of issue

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Images from Leeds riot

	bet within our means