London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Mar 13, 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
Asian Energy Security Tested as Strait of Hormuz Disruption Threatens Oil Supplies
Iran Sets Three Conditions for Ending Regional War as Diplomatic Efforts Intensify
Tesla Secures Approval to Supply Electricity Directly to Homes Across Britain
Prince William Delivers Tribute to Australia’s Naval Alliance Amid Renewed Royal Spotlight on the Country
UK Foreign Secretary Travels to Saudi Arabia to Reinforce Support for Regional Allies
Putin’s ‘Hidden Hand’ May Be Assisting Iran in Conflict With Trump, UK Defence Secretary Warns
UK Sets April Deadline for Tech Platforms to Strengthen Online Protections for Children
Elon Musk Moves Into Britain’s Energy Market as Tesla Wins Licence to Supply Power
UK Watchdog Warns Fuel Retailers Against Profiteering Amid Iran War Price Surge
Report Claims Iran Used UK Charity Network to Expand Influence
United States and United Kingdom Establish Joint Standards for Counter-Drone Technology
Iran May Be Laying Naval Mines in Strait of Hormuz, UK Warns Amid Escalating Gulf Tensions
US Deploys Bunker-Buster Bombs to UK Airbase as Iran Conflict Intensifies
British Troops in Iraq Intercept Iranian Drones Targeting Coalition Base
Release of Mandelson Files Raises Tensions as UK Seeks Stable Relations With Donald Trump
UK Documents Reveal Starmer Was Warned About Mandelson’s Epstein Links Before Ambassador Appointment
Nearly Five Hundred UK Mortgage Deals Withdrawn in Two Days as Market Volatility Forces Lenders to Reprice
Three Cargo Ships Hit Near Iran as Attacks Spread to Strategic Strait of Hormuz
Why British Police Repeatedly Declined to Investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s UK Links
UK Parliament Ends Hereditary Seats in House of Lords, Closing Chapter on Centuries of Aristocratic Lawmaking
EU and UK Urge Israel to Act Against Rising West Bank Settler Violence Amid Regional Tensions
US Senator John Kennedy Says Keir Starmer Should Not Be Trusted for Military Advice Amid Iran War Debate
UK High Court Rejects Attempt to Revive Terrorism Charge Against Kneecap Rapper
Revolut Secures Full UK Banking Licence After Multi-Year Regulatory Wait
Kentucky’s Bench Boost Powers Wildcats Past LSU in SEC Tournament Opener
British Couple Die After Being Pulled From Water at Australian Beach During Family Visit
Global Energy Agency Announces Record Release of 400 Million Barrels to Stabilize Oil Markets Amid Hormuz Disruption
British Airways Suspends UK Repatriation Flights as Middle East Travel Disruption Deepens
US Forces Prepare Ordnance at RAF Fairford as Strategic Bombers Deploy for Middle East Operations
Nigel Farage Faces Criticism After Saying Britain Should Stay Out of Iran War
Landmark UK Trial Begins Over Sony’s PlayStation Store Pricing
UK High Court Rejects Bid to Challenge Britain’s Chagos Islands Agreement With Mauritius
Finnish Duo Triumphs in England’s Annual Wife-Carrying Race, Winning a Barrel of Ale
How U.S. and UK National Security Strategies Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape
Green Party Gains Momentum as Labour Shifts Toward the Political Centre
Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Dragon Sets Sail for Eastern Mediterranean as Regional Tensions Rise
UK Homebuilder Persimmon Warns Iran Conflict Could Dent Property Buyer Confidence
Roman Abramovich Signals Legal Fight if UK Seeks to Seize Chelsea Sale Funds
UK Ready to Back Emergency Oil Reserve Release as Middle East Conflict Pushes Prices Higher
Study of 40,000 Articles Sparks Debate Over Alleged Anti-Muslim Bias in UK Media
US and UK Army Chiefs Strengthen Cooperation on the Future of Armored Warfare
Britain’s Search for the Next ARM Intensifies as Startups and Investors Target the Semiconductor Frontier
Three US Strategic Bombers Arrive at RAF Fairford as Iran Conflict Intensifies
Cancer Death Rates in the UK Fall to the Lowest Level on Record
UK Government Bond Yields Retreat Slightly After Sharp Spike Triggered by Middle East Conflict
UK Chancellor Warns Middle East War Could Push Inflation Higher
UK Prime Minister Warns Iran Conflict Could Drive Up Prices and Threaten Economic Stability
Trump Declines UK Offer to Deploy Aircraft Carriers to Middle East Amid Iran Conflict
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Return to Australia After Seven Years for Philanthropic and Business Engagements
UK Government Signals Independence From Washington as Cooper Says Britain Does Not Agree With Trump on Every Issue
×