Police remain in Leeds suburb as West Yorkshire Mayor condemns violent disorder

A police cordon remains in place around a burnt out vehicle on Friday after a night of violent disorder in a Leeds suburb.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin condemned the “violent and thoughtless actions” in Harehills, east Leeds, adding that “such criminal behaviour will not be tolerated”.

Vehicles were 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.

A local restaurant owner said the chaos was linked to local children being taken into care, adding that some people in the community responded by setting fires and “throwing stones”.

Footage on social media showed vehicles, including a bus, ablaze, while other videos showed a toppled 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.

On Friday morning, four officers guarded the scene around a torched vehicle on 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 that led to the disorder sat on a patch of grass nearby.

Ms Brabin said in a statement: “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.

“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.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a post on X: “I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight. Disorder of this nature has no place in our society.”

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, 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”.

“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.

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”.

Officers were called to an incident at an address in Luxor Street at 5pm on Thursday where they found an “ongoing disturbance” involving agency workers and children, West Yorkshire Police said.

More people started to attend the location and the agency workers and children were taken to a safe place.

A crowd started to gather and more officers were requested to attend the area where “pockets of disorder” were emerging.

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.