Leeds riot: Police give major update after violence erupts in Harehills

Five people have been arrested after a riot last night in a Leeds suburb, with police warning further arrests will be made under what they called a 'relentless' investigation. Violence flared in the Harehills area east of the city on Thursday evening, as officers responded to reports of social workers experiencing hostility when dealing with a child protection issue.

It's been reported four children were taken away from an address by the local authority and placed into care, as their father today pleaded for their return and called for calm on the estate.

Responding officers were attacked and helped social care staff to safety before the disorder escalated, with people damaging vehicles and setting fires, according to Assistant Chief Constable Pat Twiggs.

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Specialist public order officers were then deployed and came under a “barrage of bricks and missiles” from a large group of people. Mr Twiggs said a decision was made to temporarily withdraw officers when it became “evident that the police was their sole target”, in order to calm tensions.

In an update on Friday evening, he said: “We have made a number of arrests in connection with the breakout of disorder in Harehills last night with five people taken into custody.

“Officers from the Major Enquiry Team continue at significant pace to investigate the circumstances surrounding the disorder and we have teams deployed to arrest those who have been identified. We’re making arrests and will continue to do so over the next few days.

"To those who are responsible for the criminality seen in Harehills, our investigation will be relentless and I urge you to do the right thing