Violence spilled onto the streets of Leeds last night, as rioters set a double-decker bus on fire and overturned a police car in scenes which have been condemned by Britain’s Home Secretary.
The mass riot started after social services removed four children from a family in the inner city area of Harehills earlier in the day. There are unconfirmed reports that the incident involved a Roma Gypsy family.
Chaos ensued, and groups of rioters can be seen shouting and smashing up a police car with objects including a pram, while youths can be seen smashing the windows and tossing objects at it, while officers remained inside. In live-streamed footage posted to TikTok and Facebook Live, hundreds of people can be seen clashing with officers and pelting police vans with bricks and rocks.
Footage captured in the aftermath of the violence in the Northern English city showed the charred wreckage of vehicles set aflame on Thursday night.
West Yorkshire Police say they believe that the disorder was “instigated by a criminal minority intent on disrupting community relations” and urged residents to refrain from speculating on the cause of the riots. There were no injuries reported in the unrest.
West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Craig Nicholls said: “Last night, the community of Harehills experienced an appalling breakdown of social order that left many in shock and fear… an alarming situation where a police vehicle was overturned and severely damaged, and a public bus was set on fire.”
He added: “Their actions prevented further escalation and safeguarded the lives of many in the community. These officers acted with professionalism and courage, exemplifying the very best of what it means to serve and protect.”
Controversial Leeds Green Party Councillor, Mothin Ali, told reporters at the scene last night that it was not yet clear how the riots started. He told the media that he escorted people off a bus which was being attacked by rioters.
“What’s happened is an absolute travesty,” Ali said. “Our community has been let down for so long whether it’s by the local government, the national government, or the local authorities. Our community has been badly let down and affected and has suffered massively from under-investment.
“This sort of thing was just bubbling under the surface. It took an action from social services – whether it’s right or wrong, I can’t be the judge of that, I don’t know the details. Whether it was right or wrong, I don’t know. That action sparked a gathering of people. The police had that contained. It was peaceful, it was noisy. I mean, there was a lot of criminal damage done but it wasn’t to this extent.
“Once the police withdrew, it encouraged the crowds to become even more violent, and this is when we had looting taking place. A delivery van had all of its fridges and everything else taken out and set on fire. This bus behind us was attacked. I got onto this bus and I got the driver and the two passengers off. I escorted them round the back to safety.
“But the thing is, this is our community. It’s our neighbourhood. Whatever burns here is ours, it belongs to us. It’s our neighbourhood that’s being burned down here. If we don’t stand up and take some pride in our own community and say ‘Look, you can’t be doing this on our watch.’ The police and the social services and the government authorities can’t forget about us – they have to take notice of us, because we’re here and we’re human beings.”
Meanwhile, the UK’s Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the riots, saying in a statement that she was “appalled at the shocking scenes” and attacks on police vehicles and public transport.
Spokesperson for First Bus in Leeds said: “Two of our vehicles have been caught up in the public disorder in the Harehills area of Leeds this evening.
“A team from our depot was quickly at the scene to provide support to our drivers and customers.
“One of our vehicles has been set on fire but was empty as the customers had earlier been transferred to another bus together with the driver.
“All services are being diverted from this area of Harehills for the safety of our staff and customers.”
Online, some commentators branded the incident as a “race riot” whilst one former London Police officer and campaigner on police protection asked whether Leeds had “become a no go area.”
Norman Brennan, a UK media commentator on gun and knife crime wrote on x: “Countless dozens if not a couple of hundred rioters need to be arrested for their criminal behaviour against the threat of more violent disorder when doing so; or has Leeds now become a No Go Area?”
Reform MP Lee Anderson joined commentators who called the scenes “disgraceful.”
“Import a third world culture then you get third world behaviour. These animals need locking up for good. They are a product of our spineless namby pamby establishment who have betrayed our great country,” he said in a tweet which courted controversy.
Meanwhile, Leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, tweeted: “The politics of the subcontinent are currently playing out on the streets of Leeds. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, Alex Sobel, hit back at Mr Farage, amid division over the incident.
“This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on,” he said, as he accused Farage of “inflaming a situation with misinformation.”