Leicester disorder 'not exclusively' Hindus and Muslims - police

Police closed several roads during the unrest

The recent disorder in Leicester did not only involve Hindus and Muslims, the city's head of police has said.

Temporary Chief Constable Rob Nixon warned against "broad, sweeping comments" about the unrest.

Tensions involving mainly young men from sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities culminated in large-scale disorder on 17 September.

This has led to nearly 50 arrests, 158 crimes being recorded and nine people being charged.

"Everybody likes to simplify the message, and make broad, sweeping comments that 'this is the Hindus versus the Muslims, and the Muslims against the Hindus'," Mr Nixon told the BBC.

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"Actually what we know is that this isn't representative of all the Hindus, it isn't representative of all the Muslims. In fact, it's a small collection of individuals who are connected with [those faiths], but not exclusively... because [some] people that have come to our attention have been linked with the Christian faith.

"So I'm trying to encourage people to move away from the idea that this is solely about the clash of two religions and faiths."

In an update to councillors earlier on Monday, Mr Nixon said the tensions in the city were "broadly more complex than just one or two issues".

Footage showed a flag being pulled down from a Hindu temple during the unrest

He described a cricket match between India and Pakistan on 28 August as "a flashpoint" but "there's been simmering tension that goes way before that".

He said there were issues around the integration of "new and emerging communities" in the city, and that there was a "perception across communities of a lack of social or cultural respect" between them.

He also pointed to changing dynamics between "traditional faith-based leadership and the younger generation" in both the Hindu and Muslim communities.

Some people, Mr Nixon said, were becoming increasingly disconnected from traditional community networks within the city, but increasingly connected with "equally disconnected" young people in other cities.

Police were initially outnumbered after trouble flared during a march earlier this month

A total of 49 people have now been arrested over offences linked to the disorder.

Nine have been charged, the latest being a 21-year-old charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

Pryanshu Dinesh, of Lancaster Street, Leicester, was arrested on Saturday and charged.

He appeared at Leicester Magistrates' Court on Monday and was released on conditional bail.

A 26-year-old was also arrested on Saturday on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, Leicestershire Police added.

The people arrested are mainly from Leicester and Birmingham, with two men also being from London and one from Market Harborough in Leicestershire.