Leicester my hometown is a peaceful tolerant and multicultural city, but tensions are fast rising, making some parts of the city a no-go area, this is making people anxious, and some are even living in fear.
Police response into last nights disorder in East Leicester. More FB https://t.co/RuQ86RemVK #eastleicester pic.twitter.com/c0sMnM6jsL
— Leicester Media – LM News (@Leicestermedia) September 18, 2022
Leicestershire Police are calling for calm following an outbreak of public disorder last evening. There are videos online showing police, some with dogs, attempting to hold back two groups of crowds as objects including glass bottles were thrown. Batons and sticks were carried by some people.
BREAKING NEWS Belgrave Road is currently closed by the police after Protesters have gathered after the incident early on tonight in Leicester. Police have the groups separated.
More to follow.FB https://t.co/MZzmgnPwRy
Please avoid the area. #LeicsPolice #BelgraveRoad pic.twitter.com/TB6NtV6LTj
— Leicester Media – LM News (@Leicestermedia) September 17, 2022
Leicester’s Golden Mile Belgrave Road was closed in both directions due to a police incident as Police had the groups separated.
https://twitter.com/kevlondon4/status/1571288100424372224?s=20&t=aIMTDNNKCZWQOHdGgL9eoQ
Police and community leaders in Leicester are calling for calm as they deal with disorder on the streets, which has bubbled over again following an India v Pakistan cricket match last month. Additional officers were sent to the East Leicester area and stop-and-search and dispersal powers were put into operation.
Temporary Chief Constable Rob Nixon is asking the communities to stay calm.
Rob Nixon is calling for calm and encouraging people to go home.
The incident is still ongoing tonight into the early hours of Sunday, police are now dispersing the groups.#BelgraveRoad pic.twitter.com/4YkuQlgiOj— Leicester Media – LM News (@Leicestermedia) September 17, 2022
Rob Nixon chief constable of Leicestershire Police, said on Saturday: “We have had numerous reports of an outbreak of disorder in parts of the East Leicester area of the city. We have got officers there, we are taking control of the situation, there are additional officers enroute and dispersal powers, stop search powers, have been authorised.”
BREAKING NEWS More police have just arrived at the incident in Belgrave Road Leicester. More FB https://t.co/P83s0rpkkq #BelgraveRoad pic.twitter.com/sk0Q2IH4rJ
— Leicester Media – LM News (@Leicestermedia) September 17, 2022
Reports circulating on social media said the spark point was a protest march on Saturday afternoon.
🇬🇧#UK
Leicester: Ethnic violence has erupted in #Leicester as hundreds of masked Hindus & Muslims clash.
Police have urged ‘calmness’ & ‘restraint’ as they BEG ‘community leaders’ to step up.
The English minority have been advices to avoid the area.
England is a battlefield. pic.twitter.com/7LrB2ORh2p
— Klaus Arminius (@Klaus_Arminius) September 17, 2022
Many suspect tensions between the communities has been simmering under the surface for years, yet unaddressed, under the guise of a cricket match has reached boiling point.
Dear Leicester,
This is a time for cool heads.
I implore everyone to go home. We can strengthen our dialogue to repair community relations.
Your family will be worried for your safety, please accept the advice of the police who are trying to defuse and are calling for calm.
— Claudia Webbe MP (@ClaudiaWebbe) September 17, 2022
Claudia Webbe, the Leicester East MP, urged people on the streets to return home and to remain calm. “Like many Leicester residents, I am concerned by ongoing reports of ‘hate-filled clashes’, including those which emerged today.
It is vital that we work together to share the message of tolerance so that we can bring our communities together.” Adding: “This is a time for cool heads. I implore everyone to go home.”
In Leicester we remain vigilant to incitement to hate, whilst working hard to bring our communities together and end race and religious violence
Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in the UK. Our unity is our strength
My letter to the Chief Constable of Leicestershire👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/L2DPOAkZSX
— Claudia Webbe MP (@ClaudiaWebbe) September 17, 2022
Claudia Webbe MP sent a letter to the Chief Constable of Leicestershire, where she wrote that “We cannot tolerate hate filled violence on our streets. We’re one of the most poverty-stricken areas of the country. In-work poverty is high. There are high levels of inequality and disaffection.”
Message from Temporary Chief Constable Rob Nixon. We're taking control of the situation in @LPEastLeics, numerous officers and resources are on the ground, and we are calling for calm. pic.twitter.com/hhLOqFMfHn
— Leicestershire Police (@leicspolice) September 17, 2022
On Friday night, chief constable Nixon said there had been a total of 27 arrests as part of “our policing operation in the East Leicester area”. He said the area had experienced “challenging times” and high visibility policing patrols would continue. He issued a message of thanks to the community “Please do not get involved. We are calling for calm.”
Some residents are shocked and appalled and even afraid to leave their homes. With many calling these individuals masked thugs.
Muslims and Hindus clashing again in Leicester, England today.
Will we see this in the mainstream media tomorrow? I won't hold my breath 🤔 pic.twitter.com/hheUlXFNw0
— Paul B 🇬🇧 🔴 (@pauldbowen) September 17, 2022
How did this begin?
Belgrave Road is currently closed by the police tonight for public safety reasons due to a unplanned celebration. Please avoid the area if possible. More to follow @ATCLeicester @leicspolice pic.twitter.com/cBYK0jW5ck
— Leicester Media – LM News (@Leicestermedia) August 28, 2022
Violence initially broke out on Sunday 28th August 2022 after hundreds of people gathered in the streets of Leicester’s Belgrave district to celebrate India’s cricket team victory over rivals Pakistan.
On social media, video footage shows the moment a fight broke out in Shaftesbury Avenue, just off Melton Road. Men or youths threw punches at a man, ripping off his T-shirt. After a Pakistani cricket fan snatched the India flag and disrespected it, things became serious.
One reveller assaulted a Leicestershire Police officer who was then pinned down before other officers intervened and police confirmed that a 28-year-old man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker.
In the clip, offensive anti-Pakistan chants can be heard repeatedly, and the footage was shared on social media, with many describing some of the chants as racist.
Following the India team’s victory, police were forced to issue a warning urging people to avoid Belgrave Road. Leicester has long been a venue for large-scale reactions during cricket matches between the two teams.
BREAKING NEWS. Police officers are currently in attendance and dealing with protesters and disorder in parts of East Leicester tonight.
Uppingham Road is currently closed.
More to follow #LeicsPolice #EastLeicester pic.twitter.com/pbG7NtsuIK— Leicester Media – LM News (@Leicestermedia) September 17, 2022
In the days following the match, the police organised special patrols in the area. Inspector Yakub Ismail, commander for the East Leicester police said action would be taken: “Our officers are there to protect our communities and we take a zero-tolerance approach to them being assaulted in their line of duty.”
In a statement issued on Tuesday August 30, the police said “We are aware of the videos circulating on social media of racist and hateful chanting filmed in the Belgrave area of Leicester after the conclusion of the India v Pakistan cricket match on Sunday evening, (August 28). We are treating this chanting as a hate crime, and anyone found to have been taking part will be dealt with accordingly.”
Police and community leaders in Leicester are calling for calm after "disorder" on the streets, which bubbled over again following an India v Pakistan cricket match last month.
Full story: https://t.co/chL02fp84W pic.twitter.com/OBagpQ7aZm
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 18, 2022
Suleman Nagdi, a Voluntary Community Advocate and spokesman for the Leicestershire Federation of Muslim Organisations, (FMO), said: “Following the recent circulation on social media of very disturbing footage on Melton Road in Leicester, we urge local communities to work together to maintain the peace and harmony we have all enjoyed for so long.
A dispersal order was put into place from Wednesday, with police being allowed to order anyone under the age of 16 to return to their homes. According to the BBC, a total of 131 people were stopped and searched and 18 were told to disperse.
Assistant Chief Constable Adam Streets said on Wednesday: “Now is the time for calm, we’ve got a proud history of being one of the most diverse cities in the country and strong community cohesion. What I don’t want to see is an escalation of these events that seek to undermine that.”
“I’d like to reassure people that we’ve got dedicated detectives looking into these incidents and we will seek to bring offenders to justice,” he said, suggesting that people should be “under no illusion” that more arrests will be coming.
Up until yesterday a total of 27 arrests have been made as part of policing operation with a further Two arrests made after police responded to serious disorder in parts of East Leicester last night 17th September.
The Council of Faiths (LCOF) who strive to bring people together and enable communities to play an active part in the life of the city warned that videos on social media were “painting a negative picture of Leicester” and were being used to “divide our communities”.
Leicester holds the distinction of being one of the most multicultural cities in the UK, with at least 70 languages spoken and 14 different faiths practiced.
Communities in Leicester should stand together, we are stronger together. united we stand, divided we fall, which is exactly what the globalists want, so they can remain unopposed to their globalist agenda.
Rather than fighting amongst ourselves, people need to understand what is happening to them, and think about the reputational damage they are bringing to a city of half a million residents. Strong leadership from all faiths is urgently needed in Leicester.