Police car turned over and vehicles set alight in disorder in Leeds
A police car has been flipped on to its side after unrest broke out in Leeds and local people have been advised to stay at home.
Footage on social media appeared to show people throwing objects at the police vehicle before it is pushed over in Harehills, just east of the city centre.
Videos posted on X appeared to show vehicles on fire including a bus.
By 10.30pm, police had left the scene but a helicopter remained in the sky above Harehills.
A bus was set alight on Foundry Approach and was still burning with flames towering above the red brick houses and thick black smoke that could be seen for miles.
The occasional bang could be heard from the blaze as spectators threw explosives and small crowds of people ran screaming each time an explosion happened.
Another smaller fire in a road junction on Harehills Lane was kept alight with people throwing debris.
The scene has attracted people from outside the area, some of whom have been driving past to get a view of the commotion.
One witness, Usmaan, described seeing police retreat earlier in the day in order to calm the scene.
He said: “Police decided to disengage, I spoke to a sergeant and he said they decided to retreat to de-escalate it and the fire was starting to settle down. Then riot police came and sparked everything up. Bricks were thrown and then the riot police retreated.
“Then they lit the bus on fire.”
Local people in the streets around the scene have offered shelter and drinks to people on the street.
“This is too much,” said one local woman. “I haven’t seen anything like this here.”
Her friend added: “It’s like something from a movie.”
There is a large police presence in the area but no injuries have yet been reported, West Yorkshire police said.
Officers were called to an incident at an address in Luxor Street at 5pm on Thursday where they found an “ongoing disturbance” involving agency workers and children.
More people started to attend the location and the agency workers and children were taken to a safe place.
A crowd started to gather and more officers were requested to attend the area where “pockets of disorder” were emerging.
West Yorkshire police said: “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.”
Salma Arif, councillor for Gipton and Harehills, warned residents to stay at home in a video she posted on social media alongside an East Leeds neighbourhood policing inspector.
Arif said: “There is an ongoing situation currently in Harehills, we’re aware of that so police is here.
“We are asking everybody in the area to please stay at home at this moment in time.”
The inspector added: “If you could all stay where you are, stay in your houses, we will manage this and if you’re out in the crowd I would just ask you to go home please so we can keep everybody safe.”
A spokesperson for the company First Bus in Leeds said two of its vehicles were caught up in the public disorder and there were no injuries to drivers or passengers.
“A team from our depot was quickly at the scene to provide support to our drivers and customers.
“We can confirm that both drivers are unhurt and we have no reports of injuries to passengers.
“One of our vehicles has been set on fire but was empty as the customers had earlier been transferred to another bus together with the driver.
“All services are being diverted from this area of Harehills for the safety of our staff and customers. We will follow the advice of the police in deciding when normal routes will resume and update customers as soon as we can.”