Fires continue to burn in a Leeds suburb this morning after vehicles were set ablaze and police cars upturned during a riot thought to have been sparked by a dispute over local children being taken into care. The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the scenes in Harehills, east Leeds, as “shocking” and condemned the action as “disorder” that has “no place in our society.” Livestream footage on social media showed vehicles, including a bus, ablaze, while 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. Despite the danger posed by last night’s fires, no-one was thankfully seriously hurt, according to West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin. First Bus confirmed that one of their vehicles was set on fire, but thankfully no passengers were injured. West Yorkshire Police have deployed more officers to the area and are conducting a full investigation into the criminal offenses committed during the riot.
Leeds riots Harehills 2024 latest: Bus on fire and police car overturned in violent disorder
Flames engulf double-decker bus after riot breaks out in Leeds with hundreds on streets
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Fires continue to burn in a Leeds surburb this morning after vehicles were set ablaze and police cars upturned during a riot thought to have been sparked by a dispute over local children being taken into care.
The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the scenes in Harehills, east Leeds, as “shocking” and condemned the action as “disorder” that has “no place in our society”.
A local restaurant owner said the chaos was over local children being taken into care, adding that some in the community responded by setting fires and “throwing stones”.
Livestream footage on social media showed vehicles, including a bus, ablaze, while 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.
Riesa, a pharmacy dispenser who did not want to give her last name, witnessed “quite violent” scenes, saying she saw people throwing items at police officers and cars.
The 26-year-old, 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.”
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‘Nobody was seriously hurt’ – West Yorkshire Mayor
Despite the danger posed by last night’s fires, no-one was thankfully seriously hurt, according to West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin.
Fears had been raised for passengers of a bus after images showed it on fire during the public disorder, but that was empty, said First Bus.
This morning, Ms Brabin said she believed no-one was seriously hurt as a result of the riot.
In a post on X, she wrote: “I am relieved that nobody was seriously hurt in this incident – we will provide any support we can to the people of Harehills following the violence perpetrated in their community.”
She also criticised those behind the disorder.
She said: “I am absolutely appalled by the violent and thoughtless actions witnessed in Harehills last night. Such criminal behaviour will not be tolerated and I am in touch with West Yorkshire Police for regular updates on the progress of their investigation.
“I would urge everyone to refrain from speculation on social media and if members of the public believe they have footage of criminal behaviour, I would ask for this to be passed on to the police.”
Alex Ross19 July 2024 08:33
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First Bus confirms one of its vehicles set on fire
This morning, First Bus has confirmed that one of the company’s vehicles was set on fire with another caught up in the chaos.
A spokesperson for the company in Leeds said: “Two of our vehicles have been caught up in the public disorder in the Harehills area of Leeds this evening.
“We can confirm that both drivers are unhurt and we have no reports of injuries to passengers.
“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.”
Pictures show one bus being targeted by people seen kicking the front windscreen.
Alex Ross19 July 2024 08:26
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Statement from West Yorkshire Police
In a statement, the force said: “More officers have been deployed to the area to assist with the management of this incident.
“Some road closures are also being implemented and people are advised to avoid the area at this time.”
Yorkshire Police added that they will conduct a full investigation into “all criminal offences… including damage to vehicles from fire”.
“(All criminal offences), will be fully investigated by detectives from Leeds CID and the force’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team,” police said.
The spokesman assured the public those involved in the violent uprising would be held accountable for their actions.
The force added: “We want to make it very clear that the full weight of the law will be brought against those responsible.”
Tom Watling19 July 2024 08:11
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Photo shows police upturned
A photo has shown a police car overturned in Harehills, Leeds, where the riots originated.
(â@robin_singhâ via REUTERS)
Tom Watling19 July 2024 08:02
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We have below an eyewitness account
Riesa, a pharmacy dispenser who did not want to give her last name, witnessed “quite violent” scenes, telling the PA news agency she saw people throwing items at police officers and cars.
The 26-year-old, who lives off Harehills Lane, where the riots took place, 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.
“Drinks were definitely being throwing at the police – water or juice or fizzy drinks, or anything they had in their hands basically, at the cars because [the police] were trying not to get too close because it was quite violent.”
She said about an hour later, when she was back home, she heard “chanting and screaming” from outside, adding that 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.”
She continued: “There was a bus at the lights, obviously stopped by all these people as well. He was trying to get past, obviously he couldn’t, so he just reversed and just stopped basically outside my street, and just left the bus there because he felt he was in danger.
“I did see people throwing things at the bus before the driver had got out. Someone threw some glass at the bus.”
A man throws an item onto a fire during unrest in Harehills, Leeds (Ã@robin_singhà via REUTERS)
Tom Watling19 July 2024 07:59
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West Yorkshire mayor hits back at Farage
The mayor of West Yorkshire has called for onlookers not to “inflame” tensions in Leeds in thinly-veiled swipe at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, mayor Tracy Brabin wrote: “Thank you to our emergency services in what is a very difficult situation.
“I’m being briefed by West Yorkshire Police and we are monitoring events.
“I’m reassured no one has been seriously injured but suggest those who are using this to inflame community tensions to think again.”
Earlier, we reported that Clacton MP Mr Farage claimed the riots were “the politics of the subcontinent playing out” in Leeds.
Tom Watling19 July 2024 07:55
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Leeds breaks into riots – in pictures
Below we have some of the latest pictures from Leeds, where riots broke out last night.
Flames engulf double-decker bus after riot breaks out in Leeds with hundreds on streets. (Damien Robinson)A man kicks a bus during unrest in Harehills, Leeds, Britain, July 18, 2024 in this still image obtained from social media video (Ã@robin_singhà via REUTERS)A bus burns during unrest in Harehills, Leeds, Britain, July 18, 2024 in this picture obtained from social media (â@robin_singhâ via REUTERS)
Tom Watling19 July 2024 07:47
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What we know so far?
The details of what is happening Leeds are developing as we write but below is everything we know thus far.
At 5pm yesterday, officers were called to an incident at an address in Luxor Street in east Leeds where they found an “ongoing disturbance” involving agency workers and children, West Yorkshire Police said.
A crowd started to gather as the agency workers and children were relocated to a safer area, and more officers were requested to attend as “pockets of disorder” were emerging.
One eyewitness said it felt like there was more than a “thousand” people in the area by the late evening and into the night.
A bus had to be abandoned by a driver after he became trapped on the road by the encircling crowd.
First Bus later reported that one of their buses had been set ablaze, though nobody had been injured as a result.
Home secretary Yvette Cooper has condemned the violence.
(Ã@robin_singhà via REUTERS)
Tom Watling19 July 2024 07:44
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Below we have the statement from the home secretary Yvette Cooper in response to the riots in Leeds.
Tom Watling19 July 2024 07:33
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Leeds MP hits back at Farage, accusing him of ‘inflaming’ situation
A Leeds MP has hit back at claims by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage that the riots in Leeds were caused by the “politics of the subcontinent”, calling on his colleague in Commons to “issue an apology”.
Alex Sobel, the Labour MP for Leeds Central and Headingley, wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is a situation you know nothing about and no one has briefed you on.
“You are inflaming a situation with misinformation. Politicians have a responsibility to not exacerbate situations particularly with no knowledge of them.
I expect you to issue an apology.”
Tom Watling19 July 2024 07:33
Read the full story on www.independent.co.uk
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/leeds-riots-harehills-uk-why-latest-news-b2582440.html