A harrowing video has surfaced showing the moment kids were pulled from their home while their parents fought to keep hold of them.
The heartbreaking footage shared on social media sparked rumours that this was the catalyst for the chaos in Leeds. The “child protection” incident in Harehills, Leeds, last night is thought to have ignited tensions leading to a violent clash with the police, resulting in a cop car being flipped and a bus torched.
Footage reveals a young lad in a football shirt struggling as he’s hauled out of an address by an officer, his distress clear as he seems to scream or cry. Moments before, a teenage girl is also escorted from the premises to a police vehicle.
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West Yorkshire Police have issued a statement in response to the uproar in the community.
Assistant Chief Constable Pat Twiggs stated: “There has understandably been a great deal of speculation, commentary and concern following the disorder in Harehills, Leeds, overnight. Our officers responded to a call from Children’s Social Care at around 5pm yesterday after social workers reported being met with hostility when dealing with a child protection matter.
“Responding officers were attacked and helped Children’s Social Care staff withdraw to a place of safety. As the disorder escalated, damage was caused to vehicles and several fires set. We continually assessed the situation and took the decision to deploy specialist public order officers who then came under a barrage of bricks and missiles from a large group.”, reports the Mirror.
“A decision was taken to withdraw these officers temporarily as it was evident that the police was their sole target. This allowed for further community mediation to take place in order to calm the situation.”
The Mirror earlier spoke to the parents of the children who had been taken and pleaded for them to be returned. They were left crying and collapsed in the street once the children were removed.
“Please bring my children back. I want them back. Why take my kids? They were taken from us,” the dad cried.
(Image: TIKTOK)
Locals are pleading for help after being left “terrified” by the violence that erupted in Leeds. One shop keeper told how local residents protected his store as a bus was set alight yards from his door.
“You can see my sign has been damaged by the heat,” Miller Kadiri, 55, told the Mirror. He has operated Peaknet Cyber cafe mini market since 2012 and says he has “never seen anything like it.”
He shared his terror that his business was on the brink of being engulfed by fire.
“The authorities have got to do something, this is unacceptable. It was terrifying.”
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