Leicester: Police appeal over tension during religious festival

Police have urged organisers of events to notify them in advance

Police have appealed for communities in Leicester to help them prevent tensions during a religious festival.

Leicestershire Police said officers were called to reports of an unplanned procession in Belgrave Road on Monday.

On Tuesday night, police were also called to Harewood Road in the city after complaints about late-night noise near a mosque.

The Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is being celebrated and the force has asked to be notified of events.

It pointed out organisers of gatherings such as processions had a legal duty to give them advance warning.

The Leicestershire force said that during Monday's procession a man was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker as officers tried to establish who had organised the event.

The arrest of the man - aged 55 and understood to be a community leader - prompted some comments on social media that officers had been heavy-handed.

Police confirmed they were investigating a complaint.

The 55-year-old man has since been released under police investigation.

No arrests were made in Harewood Road on Tuesday night, when officers said they mediated between a number of young Muslims and Hindus.

In its latest statement, Leicestershire Police said: "We want all communities to celebrate festivals safely, which is why we encourage organisers to give prior notification to the police and council of any processions, celebrations or events in advance.

"Local officers continue to engage with the local community and those involved in any celebrations to ensure that everyone is able to celebrate safely."

The force added extra patrols would be carried out in the East Leicester area on Wednesday night to prevent any further issues.

This week's tensions come a year after large-scale disorder in the east of the city involving mainly young men from sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities which led to dozens of arrests after days of vandalism, assaults, and attacks on property.