Five in custody after social workers experience hostility dealing with child protection case
Five people have been taken into custody after scenes of violent disorder in a Leeds suburb, with police warning further arrests will be made as part of a “relentless” investigation.
West Yorkshire Police said the rioting broke out in Harehills, in the east of the city, on Thursday evening as officers responded to reports of social workers experiencing hostility when dealing with a child protection issue.
Responding officers were attacked and helped social care staff to safety before the disorder escalated with people damaging vehicles and setting fires, according to Assistant Chief Constable Pat Twiggs.
Specialist public order officers were then deployed and came under a “barrage of bricks and missiles” from a large group of people.
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.
In an update on Friday evening, he said: “We have made a number of arrests in connection with the breakout of disorder in Harehills last night with five people taken into custody.
“Officers from the Major Enquiry Team continue at significant pace to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disorder and we have teams deployed to arrest those who have been identified.”
“We’re making arrests and will continue to do so over the next few days,” he went on.
“To those who are responsible for the criminality seen in Harehills, our investigation will be relentless and I urge you to do the right thing and hand yourself in to the police while you have the opportunity to do so.
“I also issue the same message to the parents of those young people involved, to make contact with the police now.”
The Home Secretary said those responsible should feel the “full force of the law” for what she described as “audacious criminality”.
Yvette Cooper spoke to the BBC in Leeds where she met West Yorkshire Police officers and local community leaders.
Asked about anger in the community and social media posts that appear to show children being dragged from houses, she said: “I think what we saw last night was the scenes of criminality with the bus being set alight, with the attack on the police cars. And we’ve also seen some issues around misinformation about the police having to respond to a complex child protection incident.”
She said people would have also seen “really shocking scenes of audacious criminality” on social media.
A bus was set on fire and a police car was overturned as residents were warned to stay at home on Thursday night, with a large police presence and helicopters deployed to the area.
On Friday morning, four officers guarded the scene around a torched bus in Foundry Approach.
Some residents gathered to look at the damage, while a visibly emotional group of people believed to be linked to the initial incident sat on a patch of grass nearby.
Green Party councillor for Gipton and Harehills, Mothin Ali, described the scenes as “absolute mayhem” and called for the community to stay calm and come together after the incident.
Speaking to reporters at the scene on Friday, he said: “The scene was absolute mayhem. It was quite chaotic. We were trying to shelter the police, act as human shields for the police, because they were there without helmets, without shields, being pelted with bricks and bottles, so we were trying to calm people down and act as a protective barrier.”
Mr Ali said the local neighbourhood policing team was “absolutely fantastic” and had aimed to “not escalate things”, but it had been the wrong decision for officers to withdraw at the first incident.
“The idea was not to try and antagonise things, to let things fizzle out. In hindsight we could criticise that but at the time when they’re making the decision, it’s tough,” he said.
“I don’t know who was in charge but I’d like to speak to them.”
Mr Ali said the police “didn’t have the numbers and didn’t have the support” during the disorder, adding that arrests should “definitely” be made.
“There were people who were legitimately angry but there were people who were, as well, wanting to cause trouble,” he said.
“Legitimate anger is appropriate but attacking a bus with innocent people on it is not.
“I just hope everyone stays calm. I just hope everyone remembers that we are a community. We’ve got this mess on our streets that needs to be cleaned up, so let’s come together, let’s unite.”
One man who has lived in the area for more than 20 years said he left his house at around 7pm on Thursday to see people throwing bricks and stones at a police van.
Paul, who asked to be referred to by his first name only, said: “The police were trying to stand their ground but they had to get back in the van.
“The most shocking thing was when the bus went up – got set on fire. There was a bang and everybody ran.
“I don’t like my kids being around this. It’s just not right.
“It was just that one incident and then I think everybody jumped on the bandwagon. I don’t think it was one particular people, I think everybody thought it was an excuse to have a go at the police.”
Paul said he was worried there would be another night of disorder on Friday, adding: “I think it’ll start again because of the tension. That tension is still there.”
One woman, who asked not to be named, told the PA news agency she was walking a friend home when she heard bangs coming from the bus that had been set on fire and started having a panic attack.
Her friend told PA: “I was scared they were going to come up our street, torch all the cars and maybe my house.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said police have her full backing in “taking the strongest possible action” against rioters.
She said in a statement: “The scenes of criminality and disorder in Leeds last night were disgraceful, including attacks on police vehicles and public transport, and will have been very distressing for local residents.
“Those responsible must face the full force of the law and West Yorkshire Police have my support in pursuing the perpetrators and taking the strongest possible action against them.”
West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin condemned the “violent and thoughtless actions”, adding that “such criminal behaviour will not be tolerated”.
She said in a statement: “I am absolutely appalled by the violent and thoughtless actions witnessed in Harehills last night.”
Riesa, a pharmacy dispenser who did not want to give her last name, witnessed “quite violent” scenes, telling PA she saw people throwing items at police officers and cars.
The 26-year-old, who lives off Harehills Lane, said: “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.”
She later heard “chanting and screaming” from outside, adding that it sounded like “a thousand people”.
She could see “big black smoke coming from the main road” when rioters 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”.
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