Protesters torch bus, overturn police car in Leeds

LONDON

Hundreds of protesters overturned a police car and set fire to a public transport bus in Leeds, England after an incident Thursday evening, according to a police report.

“At 5 p.m. today, police were called to an ongoing incident at an address in Luxor Street, Harehills,” the statement said, adding officers “found an ongoing disturbance which involved some agency workers and some children.”

It said, however, that the social services workers, who were trying to take away children from a Roma family according to some social media posts, were removed to a safer place along with the children after more people arrived at the scene in protest.

Police said more officers have been “deployed to the area to assist with the management of this incident” and “some roads were closed,” with people asked to avoid the area.

A public bus was torched by protesters and a police car was overturned, according to local reports and footage widely shared on social media.

“I am appalled at the shocking scenes and attacks on police vehicles & public transport in Leeds tonight,” Home Secretary Yvette Cooper wrote on X.

“Disorder of this nature has no place in our society. My thanks go to West Yorkshire police for their response. I am being kept regularly updated,” she added.

West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin wrote on social media that she was reassured that no one has been seriously injured but suggested that those who are using this to inflame community tensions “think again."