Cafe 'targeted for welcoming refugees'

A mural painted on the walls of the Junction cafe at Armley in Leeds was supposed to be a positive statement encouraging everyone through the door.

Instead - extreme reaction to the statement has prompted police to launch a hate crime investigation as Victoria Whittam reports.

Staff at a cafe in Leeds have been threatened with violence because they made a point of welcoming refugees. A mural painted on the walls of the Junction cafe in Armley was supposed to be a positive statement encouraging everyone through the door. Instead extreme reaction to the statement prompted police to launch a hate crime investigation. Victoria Whittam reports.

Adam Smith from The Real Junk Food Project has spoken out about the reaction the cafe in Armley got when it painted a mural saying 'Refugees welcome.' He says there were physical threats made against staff members.

Police have stepped up patrols in Leeds after cafe workers say they were threatened because they welcomed refugees.

Owners of Armley Junktion painted the words 'refugees welcome, everybody welcome' on the wall. They say the words were a positive statement highlighting that they are open to all, but the mural was vandalised and staff were threatened with violence when they tried to repaint it.

Police say they are treating the matter seriously. The cafe says they will not be putting the slogan back up in a bid to calm tensions in the area.

Police have stepped up patrols in Leeds after cafe workers claimed they were threatened - because they welcomed refugees.

Owners of Armley Junktion painted the words 'refugees welcome' on the wall. They say it was vandalised - and that staff even received death threats.