Leicester disorder: Independent review announced by city council

Police initially struggled to control large crowds that had gathered in East Leicester

A review into the recent unrest in part of Leicester has been announced by the city council.

It comes after large-scale disorder broke out on 17 September following tensions involving mainly young men from Muslim and Hindu communities.

City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby said the academic-led review would give quicker results than a full scale inquiry.

Sir Peter said it would be independent and "as critical as it needs to be", with results expected in early 2023.

District Judge Nick Watson said police had been struggling to keep order

In the aftermath of the unrest, dozens of people have been arrested, with two jailed.

Both the Indian and Pakistani governments called for more action from the Leicester authorities to protect their citizens.

Sir Peter said: "There have been lots of people wanting to point the finger of blame - and often pointing it at each other.

"What we need to know are the actual facts and those facts will perhaps indicate not just who was responsible but how we can work together to prevent it happening again."

Better understanding

The review will be led by Dr Chris Allen, associate professor in hate studies at the University of Leicester.

He said he would start by asking basic questions.

"What caused the disturbances? What happened both before during and after the disturbances? Why did they happen when they did?" he said.

"What were the drivers? Were they internal or external? Were there any warning signs that we missed and do we think there is potential for this to happen again in the future?"

He also emphasised they would be working toward one main goal.

"The point of this is to try and understand," he said. "From a distance these things can look straightforward and everyone will have an opinion.

"If we can begin to understand a bit better, rather than making broad assumptions and knee-jerk reactions, actually that understanding will give us the foundation for moving forward."