West Yorkshire Police chief says officers ran from Leeds riot after becoming 'target'

• Footage shared online showed police running from the scene

Police chiefs say frontline officers were ordered to retreat when rioting broke out in Leeds after it became clear that they were the "sole target" of troublemakers.

Footage widely shared on social media showed uniformed officers running from scenes of disorder in the Harehills area on Thursday evening.

Trouble broke out after social workers were confronted as they visited a property on Luxor Street at around 5pm.

Over the next few hours vehicles were set alight, a police car was overturned and emergency workers were attacked.

The police response drew some criticism from social media users.

Speaking on Friday afternoon, West Yorkshire Police Assistant Chief Constable Pat Twiggs confirmed social workers had initially been called to a "child protection matter".

He said: "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.

"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."

Mr Twiggs said police later returned with firefighters to tackle fires which were "self-contained and didn’t pose a wider risk".

'No stone unturned'

He confirmed there had been "several arrests", with others expected in the coming days. Detectives are reviewing CCTV and social media footage and images to identify the perpetrators.

"We will leave no stone unturned in our hunt for all those who were involved and will work closely with our criminal justice partners to bring them to justice," he added.

Mr Twiggs blamed a "criminal minority intent on disrupting the community" and said there would be a "significant policing presence" in Harehills in the next few days.

Speaking on Friday morning, West Yorkshire Police Federation chair Craig Nicholls said the incident highlighted the "unpredictable challenges faced by our officers".

He said: "What should have been a standard duty quickly turned into a night of chaos, highlighting the need for robust support and resources for those tasked with maintaining public safety.

"Despite the conditions, the resilience of our colleagues was nothing short of remarkable. In the face of aggression and disorder, their quick thinking and bravery were critical in bringing the situation to a safe conclusion.

"Their actions prevented further escalation and safeguarded the lives of many in the community. These officers acted with professionalism and courage, exemplifying the very best of what it means to serve and protect."

In a statement, Leeds City Council leader James Lewis and chief executive Tom Riordan said the situation was "very challenging".

They added: "Whilst some of the footage was clearly very worrying, there was a clear approach to managing the situation. We would like to stress that no one was hurt with local councillors and community leaders on the ground working through the night to calm the situation."

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