Communities and faith groups across Leicester have come together in a show of solidarity against the violence which has erupted in East Leicester since a cricket match between India and Pakistan.
Representatives from various community groups, including the Shree Hindu Temple, Leicester Council of Faiths and the Federation of Muslim Organisations, gathered for a meeting at the Daman Community Centre last night, together with officers from Leicestershire Police. They had one clear message; “the violence and aggression must stop now!”
The meeting was organised following a number of acts of violence and aggression in the East Leicester community, which have taken place since a cricket match between India and Pakistan on Sunday, August 28.
“We are citizens of this beautiful city and we have a responsibility to uphold peace and unity and to not destroy the hard work of our elders and forefathers who worked hard to establish us in the city,” said a spokesman for the UK Unity Organisation, which held the meeting.
“Our aim is to safeguard all our communities and most importantly our young people now and into the future.”
Following the violence on August 28, which took place in Melton Road, footage has emerged of punches being thrown amidst a flurry of offensive anti-Pakistan chants.
One man remains in hospital after being assaulted on Bridge Road on Monday (September 5.), and an investigation into this is underway.
On the same day, it was reported that three people were injured around the Cottesmore Road area, one of which was stabbed in the hand.
Since the incidents, dispersal powers have been put in place in the East of Leicester, covering the areas of Belgrave, Rushey Mead and Spinney Hill.
Under the powers, officers will be allowed to return anyone under the age of 16 to their home address. Anyone found breaching a notice is liable to be arrested and face further action.
Police confirmed that a total of 131 people have been stopped and searched as a result of the powers, while 18 were dispersed.
In a Youtube, temporary chief constable Rob Nixon said that five people had been linked to the incident on August 28 .
“We’re just in the process of putting names to those individuals. Then we’ll be looking to bring them in and put that evidence to them,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of investigations going on around the incident that took place on Bridge Road – and again let me just reassure you, the rumours are that we are not taking that seriously.
“Let me tell you, my officers and staff are currently linked in with both the victim and the victim’s family. There are a lot of investigation teams that are collecting CCTV and different evidence and we will be following that up.”
Anyone with information about the violence is asked to call Leicestershire Police on 101.
