Conference to reflect on cause of summer riots

Hundreds of people people clashed with police outside the Holiday Inn in Rotherham

Community leaders and anti-racism campaigners are holding a conference to discuss the root causes of the summer’s riots in South Yorkshire.

The Holiday Inn Express, in Rotherham - which was being used to house more than 200 asylum seekers - was targeted in August, with hundreds of people converged on the site, smashing windows and setting fires.

Mehrun Ahmed, from hosts Football Unites Racism Divides (FURD), said the disorder had left many people “scared” and worried about further flare ups.

Ahead of the conference she said: “Many people still feel ignored, some people have been sent to prison, but the problem hasn’t gone away, now what?”

Simon Hyacinth is the co CEO of FURD who are hosting the conference.

The Uniting Our Streets and Communities event will be held at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane stadium.

Amongst those attending will be Sheffield City Council leader Tom Hunt, Labour MP for Sheffield Central Abtisam Mohamed and other community leaders.

To date more than 70 men have been jailed after the rioting at the hotel, with their combined sentences totalling more than 150 years.

Simon Hyacinth from FURD said: “The conference is a natural reaction for us, the idea is to bring together the people that can make a difference, dialogue is the starting point

“We know that our communities need support and investment, but we need to get round the table."

Derrick from Uganda says he had to "stay indoors" during the riots for his safety.

Derrick came to Sheffield from Uganda in April 2024 seeking asylum.

He is one of a large group who meet to play football at Sheffield's U-mix centre.

He said he had been forced to “limit his movements” at the time of the riots.

“It was kind of scary because a lot of things did happen," he said.

"I had to keep myself indoors

“Things have totally calmed down and the government has played a vital role to help and cool the situation. However, it gives you a sign that you need to be careful because you cannot tell what someone thinks about you.”

Ms Ahmed said she still "feels angry about the riots”

“I lived through the 1980’s, I remember the National Front running rampage," she said.

“Now I'm a grandmother, my children and grandchildren are having to go through what I went through, the racism, the islamophobia.”

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