https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/09/21/leicester-muslim-hindu-clashes-spread-smethwick/
Ongoing clashes between Muslims and Hindus threaten to “spread all over Britain”, faith leaders have warned, after 100 protesters descended on a Hindu temple.
A crowd of Muslim demonstrators reportedly threw fireworks and missiles in the direction of police in the industrial town of Smethwick on Tuesday night as the disorder seen in Leicester over the weekend appeared to spread across the Midlands.
On Wednesday night, faith leaders issued a warning that the current unrest, apparently fuelled by disinformation circulating on social media, “will spread all over Britain”.
Police made 47 arrests in Leicester this weekend for offences including making threats to kill, possession of a firearm and affray. Some linked the sectarian violence to a “country-based dispute” after India beat Pakistan in a cricket match in Dubai on August 28, while others have said false claims made on social media triggered the clashes.
The widespread disorder, involving mainly young men from sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities, erupted in Smethwick when a crowd of people gathered outside Durga Bhawan Temple.
Video footage showed the masked and hooded men shouting “Allahu akbar”, with dozens of officers deployed to the area in riot gear in response. No injuries were reported and an 18-year-old has since been arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife….
Police later carried out searches of 10-15 strong groups of youths in the area around the Durga Bhagwan Hindu centre, seizing fireworks and other suspicious objects from several individuals, in what officers described as a “search and disperse” operation. Other officers also used vehicle number plate recognition technology in an attempt to spot cars that may have been in the vicinity of the centre during Tuesday evening’s disturbances….
However, religious leaders are bracing themselves for further clashes. Hindu Council UK told The Telegraph: “Religious leaders have continued to call for calm but the youths… It’s very difficult. You can’t control them. It’s crazy. It’s going everywhere. I can’t bring myself to say that it will come to London because we want to stop it somehow.”
The reasons behind the clashes in Leicester have allegedly been fuelled by disinformation circulating on social media. Earlier this month, false claims about the attempted kidnap of a Muslim teenage girl at the hands of Hindu men were shared on social media – an incident police have since said “did not take place” – as well as unfounded claims of attacks on mosques…..
Ongoing clashes between Muslims and Hindus threaten to “spread all over Britain”, faith leaders have warned, after 100 protesters descended on a Hindu temple.
A crowd of Muslim demonstrators reportedly threw fireworks and missiles in the direction of police in the industrial town of Smethwick on Tuesday night as the disorder seen in Leicester over the weekend appeared to spread across the Midlands.
On Wednesday night, faith leaders issued a warning that the current unrest, apparently fuelled by disinformation circulating on social media, “will spread all over Britain”.
Police made 47 arrests in Leicester this weekend for offences including making threats to kill, possession of a firearm and affray. Some linked the sectarian violence to a “country-based dispute” after India beat Pakistan in a cricket match in Dubai on August 28, while others have said false claims made on social media triggered the clashes.
The widespread disorder, involving mainly young men from sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities, erupted in Smethwick when a crowd of people gathered outside Durga Bhawan Temple.
Video footage showed the masked and hooded men shouting “Allahu akbar”, with dozens of officers deployed to the area in riot gear in response. No injuries were reported and an 18-year-old has since been arrested on suspicion of possessing a knife….
Police later carried out searches of 10-15 strong groups of youths in the area around the Durga Bhagwan Hindu centre, seizing fireworks and other suspicious objects from several individuals, in what officers described as a “search and disperse” operation. Other officers also used vehicle number plate recognition technology in an attempt to spot cars that may have been in the vicinity of the centre during Tuesday evening’s disturbances….
However, religious leaders are bracing themselves for further clashes. Hindu Council UK told The Telegraph: “Religious leaders have continued to call for calm but the youths… It’s very difficult. You can’t control them. It’s crazy. It’s going everywhere. I can’t bring myself to say that it will come to London because we want to stop it somehow.”
The reasons behind the clashes in Leicester have allegedly been fuelled by disinformation circulating on social media. Earlier this month, false claims about the attempted kidnap of a Muslim teenage girl at the hands of Hindu men were shared on social media – an incident police have since said “did not take place” – as well as unfounded claims of attacks on mosques…..
