Police car tipped and bus set on fire during chaotic night in Leeds
Armed officers were seen in the Harehills area on Thursday night (July 18)
Last updated 19th Jul 2024
A police car was tipped over and a fire started in the Harehills area of Leeds, where huge crowds gathered on Thursday night (July 18).
It followed reports of clashes between small groups and police officers near Luxor Road, where smashed glass bottles could be seen on the floor.
Around a mile away, on Compton Street, a fire was started on the junction of a road, and police vans were seen in the area.
The Home Secretary has responded, saying in a post on X she is "appalled" by the scenes in Leeds.
In a statement, West Yorkshire Police confirmed officers had been called to the Luxor Road area at around 17:00BST.
It read: "Officers attended and found an ongoing disturbance which involved some agency workers and some children.
"More people started to attend the location and a decision was made to remove the agency workers and the children to a safe place.
"A crowd started to gather and more officers were requested to attend the area, where some pockets of disorder were occurring.
"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.
"No injuries have been reported and enquiries are ongoing at the scene."
At around 20:30BST, the police car was tipped back onto its wheels and towed away by a police vehicle.
The fire broke out around a mile away on Compton Road a short time later, where officers were seen gathering again, before leaving the scene in vans.
The MP for Leeds East, Richard Burgon, has said he is "on his way back from Parliament" following the scenes in his constituency.
In a video posted on X, Councillor Salma Arif said: "We are asking everyone in the area to stay at home at this moment in time."