Mayor meets faith leaders after week of violence

Faith leaders including Sheikh Mohammad Ismail underlined their concerns about community safety

Fears of further violence following the past week's widespread disorder have been underlined by faith leaders at a meeting with South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard.

The meeting on Tuesday was called in response to a riot at the weekend at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham.

Mr Coppard, who also has also taken on the responsibilities of the area's police and crime commissioner, told attendees the South Yorkshire force was there for all communities and was up to the task if further trouble happened.

He heard concerns raised about people feeling generally anxious and particularly about safety at mosques at Friday prayers this week.

Following Tuesday's meeting, Mr Coppard said: "Of course there is fear, who wouldn't be scared after what we've seen over the last few days, but there's also a growing recognition that police are gripping this problem.

"They are working with our community leaders and faith leaders to make sure places of worship are safe, that our hotels are safe, and that people right across South Yorkshire are safe, and that people who perpetrate that violence are going to feel the full force of the law - if they haven't already - over the next few days and weeks."

Events in Rotherham have caused alarm and fear, said faith leaders

Ameena Blake, a Muslim scholar and chaplain at University of Sheffield and South Yorkshire Police, said: "The mood was concerned but hopeful.

"Communities are feeling very vulnerable at this time for obvious reasons and, of course, Friday's coming up, we have Friday prayers, and in the back of people's minds there definitely is 'am I going to be safe, is there going to be a riot in my mosque, are protests going to happen?'

"So there is that worry. However, the message and the reassurance from the police has been extremely positive."

Sheikh Mohammad Ismail, lead imam from the Grand Mosque in Sheffield, said: "Throwing steel bars, and bricks and all sorts of objects, this is criminal, this is terrorism, terrorising people.

"We appreciate the police bravery, and we salute them for standing together, despite the fact that more than 40 police officers were injured nationally."

The meeting with the mayor followed Sunday's outbreak of violence at the Holiday Inn Express at Manvers in Rotherham where asylum seekers were staying.

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