Leeds Police have asked residents to stay at home as they try to disperse rioters in the area after a disturbance escalated into a full-blown riot.
Chaos has erupted on a residential street in the northern city after police were called to a riot involving “agency workers and children” – with a police car overturned, a double-decker bus on fire and bonfires lit in the streets.
Shocking video circulating online shows large crowds of people gathering in the Harehills area of the northern city, where thugs overturned and vandalised a police car with scooters, prams and bicycles.
Neighbours were also seen running towards a blaze that had started in the middle of the street with a large fridge, which they threw onto the fire as neighbours cheered. Later footage showed the double-decker bus reduced to a pile of charred and twisted rubble.
Senior officers and local councillors have urged people to return home as dozens of police, including officers in riot gear, flooded the streets around Harehills and roads were closed.
But locals have continued to flock to the area, with many streaming live footage of the clash on social media.
Rioters set fire to a bus in Leeds after a disturbance involving “agency workers and children” escalated into a riot.
The double-decker bus was left a twisted, smoking mess after being set alight.
Neighbours watch a bonfire in the street in Harehills, Leeds. Police have urged residents to disperse.
Riot officers are seen at the scene in Harehills as unrest continues. Dozens of people have taken to the streets
A police car overturned as chaos broke out on the street in Harehills, Leeds
Neighbours were seen running towards a fire with what appears to be a fridge (left). They then threw the appliance into the fire as neighbours cheered (right)
Harehills looks like a war zone, with an overturned police vehicle and a bonfire started at a road junction.
MailOnline has contacted First Bus, which operates bus services in Leeds, for a comment on the burnt-out vehicle.
Police say they were called to a disturbance involving “agency workers and children” at a property on Luxor Street at 5 p.m.
They then made the decision to “remove agency workers and children” from the area as locals became violent and more officers were sent to the scene.
A video widely shared on social media shows large groups of people rioting, shouting and smashing a police car.
Some locals have been livestreaming the incident on TikTok and Facebook Live.
Large crowds gathered at the scene as police officers attended a disturbance at a property in Luxor Street, Harehills, Leeds at 5pm.
A man makes an offensive gesture towards a police officer. West Yorkshire Police have sent dozens of officers to the scene and closed roads.
A man uses a scooter to destroy a police car while people watch and record with their mobile phones
In one video, a child can be seen taking a scooter and throwing it at a police car, while a man joins in and repeatedly smashes the car with a broken stroller.
In another video, a group can be seen overturning a police car as the crowd screams and some whistle and cheer.
Councillor Salma Arif, the local representative for the area on Leeds City Council, has posted a video featuring a West Yorkshire Police inspector on X urging people to stay at home.
The Labour councillor said: “There is an ongoing situation at the moment in Harehills… we are asking everyone in the area to please stay at home at this time.”
Inspector Nicolls, East Leeds Police Inspector, added in the clip: ‘If everyone can stay where they are, stay at home, we can handle this.
‘If you are in the crowd, I would ask you to please go home, so we can keep everyone safe, thank you.’
Police officers deal with the large crowd of people gathered at the scene.
Police officers try to control the crowd of people who had gathered at the address.
A child was seen hitting a police car that had arrived at the scene.
Glass and debris litter the street as gangs of thugs smash a police car
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: ‘At 5pm today police were called to a disturbance in progress at an address in Luxor Street, Harehills.
Officers arrived at the scene and discovered that there was a disturbance in progress involving some agency employees and some children.
‘More people began to arrive at the scene and the decision was made to move the agency workers and children to a safe location.
‘A crowd began to gather and more officers were called to the area, where there were some pockets of disorder.
‘Further officers have been deployed to the area to assist with managing this incident. Some roads are also being closed and people are advised to avoid the area at this time.
‘No injuries have been reported and investigations are ongoing at the scene.’
A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: ‘We are aware of an open-air fire in Harehills, Leeds at this time.
‘As things stand, the fire on the street is not affecting public safety or buildings, so we are allowing it to burn itself out.
“We will continue to monitor the situation in conjunction with West Yorkshire Police, who are in charge of this incident.”
Several roads have been closed and people have been urged to avoid the area.
Police remain at the scene this afternoon. Leeds City Council has been contacted for comment.
