London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 08, 2026

Leicester disorder: Independent review to be held

Leicester disorder: Independent review to be held

An independent review is to take place into recent unrest in Leicester.

Officers have arrested 47 people since 28 August amid tensions involving mainly young men from sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities.

Major disorder broke out on Saturday evening following an earlier protest.

The review was agreed at a meeting of community leaders, councillors and local police on Wednesday evening, the city's mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said.

"Last night's meeting was very constructive and everyone there was determined to ensure that the recent disorder does not spoil relations in our city," Mr Soulsby told the BBC.

"My intention is to have a review of what led up to the events at the weekend, and also to seek some independent thoughts on how we all - council, police and communities - can learn from this, and what we can do at a local level to ensure it doesn't happen again."

An independent body is yet to be appointed to oversee the review.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman has discussed the disorder with police leaders


Meanwhile, Home Secretary Suella Braverman met police in Leicester on Thursday morning to discuss the unrest.

In a statement, a Leicestershire Police spokesperson said: "I can confirm the Home Secretary visited Leicester today and was briefed by Temporary Chief Constable Rob Nixon and other senior officers.

"We won't be providing any further detail in relation to the meeting."

Ms Braverman has been in regular contact with the chief constable, and the BBC understands from the Home Office that she visited to receive further updates on the disorder, and to thank police officers for their response.

Police have said they expect to arrest and charge more people over the coming weeks and months.

Mr Nixon has written an open letter to the communities of East Leicester, in which he said he wanted to clarify the police response to Saturday's protest.

Some members of the public had criticised police for appearing to support the protest, as videos were circulated online which showed officers walking alongside it.

"I am making clear that police did not support an unplanned protest in East Leicester," Mr Nixon said.

"My officers were dispatched in order to try to engage and seek co-operation. They were confronted by in excess of 300 people and there were eight officers at the time.

"They did the best they could in the circumstances by staying with them until more officers could arrive. That is what videos on social media show."

Police were outnumbered by hundreds of mainly young men on Saturday evening


Three people have been charged so far in relation to the disorder over the weekend. They are:

*  Amos Noronha, 20, of Illingworth Road in Leicester. He appeared in court on Monday, where he pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and was jailed for 10 months.

*  Adam Yusuf, 21, of Bruin Street in Leicester. He appeared in court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

*  Lukman Patel, 31, of Homeway Road in Leicester. He appeared in court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and racially aggravated harassment/alarm/distress. He is expected to stand trial on 11 November.

When Yusuf appeared in court, the probation service told the magistrate that he had been "influenced by social media" in relation to events taking place near where he lived and was "upset".

Mr Nixon has also blamed social media for spreading "fake news".

"I suspect that social media has played a significant part in raising fear, raising concern," he previously told the BBC.

"I've seen a significant amount of fake news that is being put out on social media, a lot of images that are being used to sensationalise the activity, to try and encourage people to get involved."

About 100 people gathered at the gates of the Durga Bhawan Temple in Smethwick


Police have said some of those involved in the Leicester disorder came from Birmingham and Luton.

There was also a protest at the gates of a Hindu temple in Smethwick in the West Midlands on Tuesday evening.

Fireworks and missiles were reportedly thrown in the direction of police, and an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife.


'Extremist forces'


London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, has described the events in Leicester and Smethwick as "ugly" and called for solidarity.

"British Hindus and British Muslims have far more in common than that which divides us - and we should be eternally on our guard against extremist forces who seek to stoke up tensions between our communities for their own selfish ends," he said.

Police have encouraged people to prepare for Navratri and Diwali as normal, and said a "visible and strengthened police presence will be there for all communities".


Footage shows hundreds of people filling streets


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
English Councils Push Government to Rethink Proposed Funding Cuts
Scottish Homebuilding Falls to Lowest Level in 11 Years
BBC Chief Matt Brittin Defends Restructuring as Staff Challenge Job Cuts
UK Finance Warns High Energy Costs and Bond Yields Are Complicating Fiscal Outlook
UK Adopts All 44 Recommendations on Regulating AI in Healthcare
Chancellor John Healey Prepares Autumn Budget as Borrowing Costs Strain Public Finances
UK Investigators See Strong Indications of Iranian Link After RAF Fairford Security Operation
Laura Trott Pledges Tighter Controls on Political Activism in UK Classrooms
Welsh Ministers Launch Long-Term Review of North Wales and Anglesey Crossings
Welsh Government Orders 18-Month Study of Road Solutions Around Newport
Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin Faces Scrutiny Over £800,000 Second Home Purchase
British Households Grow More Concerned About Fuel and Energy Prices
NHS Leaders Warn of Rising Winter Pressure on Emergency Departments
Kemi Badenoch Proposes £2.3 Billion Employer National Insurance Cut for Young Workers
Middle East Conflict Could Erase UK Fiscal Headroom, Economists Warn
Manchester City Found Guilty of Multiple Premier League Financial Rule Breaches
UK Security Services Find Strong Indications of Iranian Role in RAF Fairford Incident
Costa Coffee Returns to Operating Profit on Iced Drinks and Menu Changes
Asos Warns Customers After Unauthorized Access to Retail App and Data
Kemi Badenoch Puts Growth and Deregulation at Center of Conservative Conference
Campaigners Warn of Deepening Social Care Crisis for Disabled Adults
Study Finds Rising Early-Onset Cancer Rates Among Adults Under 50 in Britain
UK Coach Operators Warn High Diesel Prices Could Force Route Cuts
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein-Linked Whistleblower Case
Argentina Vows to Block Falkland Islands Offshore Oil Development
UK Chancellor Prepares Fiscal Measures and Welfare Reforms Ahead of Autumn Budget
Sainsbury’s and Morrisons Explore Potential Multi-Billion-Pound Merger
UK Weighs Tariffs on Chinese Electric Vehicles to Align With European Union
UK Threatens Diplomatic Expulsions Over Planned Closure of East Jerusalem Consulate
UK Energy Price Cap Hits Three-Year High as Middle East Conflict Raises Costs
Seventh Arrest Made in Suspected Terror Plot at RAF Fairford
Systemic Education Collapse Sparks Mass Student Uprisings in France
Green Party Faces Backlash Over Resolution Equating Zionism With Racism
Conservatives Debate Scrapping Environmental Rules for New Homes
Cornwall Insight Warns UK Energy Bills Could Approach £2,000 This Winter
UK Coach Operators Warn of Service Cuts as Diesel Prices Exceed £2
Scottish Parliament Approves £68 Billion Budget With New Tax and Property Measures
FCA Opens Independent Review Into Handling of Epstein Whistleblower
UK Government Drops Plan to Suspend Jury Trials in England and Wales
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Markets Watch November
Two Iranian Nationals Charged Over Alleged Plot Targeting Manchester Jewish Community
UK Fiscal Headroom Halves to £11 Billion Ahead of Budget, EY Warns
US Bomber Withdrawal From RAF Fairford Prompts UK Security Review
Sarah Wakfer Appointed Chair of Northern Ireland’s Health and Care Regulator
Scotland Housing Completions Fall to 11-Year Low Amid National Shortage
UK Water Companies Face Tougher Oversight and Unannounced Regulatory Inspections
Middle East Conflict Pushes UK Fuel and Wholesale Energy Prices Higher
Andy Burnham Raises Prospect of Second Brexit Referendum in Review of UK-EU Relations
EY Warns UK Fiscal Headroom Has Halved to £11 Billion Ahead of Autumn Budget
BT Accused of Pressuring Vulnerable Customers During Digital Landline Shift
×