Latest Leeds Harehills 2024 riots: Bus torched and police car overturned in violent disorder

So what do we know about Hareshills?

The suburb is located in east Leeds and falls under the district of Gipton and Harehills, which has a population of just over 30,000 people living in 11,000 homes.

It was ranked among the most deprived areas in Leeds in 2020.

The Muslim community is the largest religious group, representing almost 40% of the population.

And last year, the most common crimes reported were violence and sexual offences, public order and criminal damage and arson.

More than 15 hours after the public disorder began, questions are being asked about how it started.

West Yorkshire Police said its officers were called to an incident at an address on the Hareshills estate at 5pm on Thursday where they discovered an “ongoing disturbance” involving workers and children.

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

A crowd then began to gather and more officers were requested to attend the area where “pockets of disorder” had appeared.

In a statement, West Yorkshire Police said: “A number of officers have been deployed to the area to help deal with this incident.”

The force added that they would carry out a full investigation into “all offences… including fire damage to vehicles”.

Despite the danger posed by last night’s fires, luckily no one was seriously injured, according to West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin.

Fears were raised for passengers on a bus after footage showed it on fire during the public disorder, but it was empty, First Bus said.

This morning Ms Brabin said she believed no one was seriously injured in the riot.

In a post on X, she wrote: “Relieved that no one was seriously injured in this incident – we will be offering any support we can to the people of Harehills following the violence in their community.”

She also criticized those behind the disturbance.

She said: “I am absolutely appalled by the violent and thoughtless actions witnessed in Harehills last night. Such criminal behavior will not be tolerated and I am liaising with West Yorkshire Police for regular updates on the progress of their investigation.

“I would urge everyone to refrain from speculating on social media and if members of the public believe they have footage of criminal behaviour, I would ask that this be passed on to the police.”

This morning, First Bus confirmed that one of the company’s vehicles was set on fire and another was caught in the chaos.

A spokesman for the Leeds-based company said: “Two of our vehicles were caught up in public disorder in the Harehills area of ​​Leeds this evening.

“We can confirm that both drivers are uninjured and we have no reports of passenger injuries.

“One of our vehicles was set on fire but was empty as the customers had previously been transferred to another bus with the driver.”

Footage shows a bus being targeted by people seen kicking the windscreen.

In a statement, the force said: “A number of officers have been deployed to the area to help deal with this incident.

“Some road closures are also in place and people are advised to avoid the area at this time.”

Yorkshire Police added that it would carry out a full investigation into “all offences… including damage to vehicles due to fire”.

“(All criminal offences), will be fully investigated by detectives from Leeds CID and the force’s homicide and major investigation team,” police said.

The spokesperson assured the public that those involved in the violent riot will 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.”

A photo showed an overturned police car in Harehills, Leeds, where the riots took place.

Riesa, a pharmacy distributor who did not want to give his last name, witnessed “quite violent” scenes, recounting PA News Agency saw people throwing objects at police and cars.

The 26-year-old, who lives near Harehills Lane, where the riots took place, said: “They were attacking police cars, throwing things at police cars – anything they could pick up off the floor really. Garden rocks, trash, drinks, anything.

“They were definitely throwing drinks at the police – water or juice or fizzy drinks or whatever 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 that about an hour later, when she returned home, she heard “singing and screaming” from outside, adding that it sounded like “a thousand people”.

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

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

“My husband said they took the bins out of people’s businesses or people’s houses and just put them in the middle of the road full of rubbish and set them on fire.”

She continued: “There was a bus at the traffic lights, obviously stopped by all these people too. He was trying to pass, obviously he couldn’t, so he backed up and basically stopped outside my street and left the bus there because he felt it was in danger.

“I saw people throwing things on the bus before the driver got off. Someone threw some glass on the bus.”

The West Yorkshire mayor has urged onlookers not to “inflame” tensions in Leeds in a thinly veiled jab at UK reform leader Nigel Farage.

In a statement on X, former Twitter mayor Tracy Brabin wrote: “Thank you to our emergency services in a very difficult situation.

“I am being informed by West Yorkshire Police and we are monitoring events.

“I’m sure no one was seriously hurt, but I suggest those who use this to inflame community tensions think again.”

Earlier we reported that Clacton MP Mr Farage claimed the riots were “subcontinent politics playing out” in Leeds.

Below are some of the latest images from Leeds, where riots broke out last night.

Details of what’s happening in Leeds are developing as we write, but below is everything we know so far.

At 5pm yesterday, officers were called to an incident at an address in Luxor Street in east Leeds where they discovered an “ongoing disturbance” involving workers and children, West Yorkshire Police said.

A crowd began to gather as agency workers and children were moved to a safer area, and more officers were called in to attend as “pockets of disorder” emerged.

An eyewitness said it felt like more than “a thousand” people were in the area late into the evening and into the night.

A bus had to be abandoned by a driver after he was blocked on the road by the surrounding crowd.

First Bus later reported that one of their buses had been set on fire, although no one was injured as a result.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper condemned the violence.