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Tension between riot police and the Asian community has exploded on the streets of Leeds, where Bangladeshi youths were involved in a rampage that saw several cars and properties set on fire.
The trouble started at Harehills, in the city, soon after 2200 hours on Tuesday and quickly escalated into mob violence, with an estimated 300 Bangladeshi youths hurling missiles at police.
West Yorkshire police assistant chief constable Graham Maxwell described the rioting as a "pre-meditated attack on police" and added in a statement released to the media that the reasons for the disturbances were not yet known.
The unrest in Leeds comes 10 days after violence in the town of Oldham, when 500 Pakistani youths had battled with police in Britain's worst race riots for 15 years. An added element in the Oldham violence was the presence of right wing extremists from the racist National Front and British national parties, who are alleged to have played a role.
Police were called out in Leeds after a shop was vandalised and cars were set on fire in a predominantly Bangladeshi neighbourhood of the city. Witnesses told India Abroad that the trouble was linked to the arrest two days earlier of a Bangladeshi man, who was sprayed in the face with CS gas.
A community elder, who did not want to be named, told India Abroad, "When this man was arrested, he was kicked and sprayed with CS gas in front of other Asian witnesses. The mood is very ugly and residents are scared. The police have been trying to stop more trouble, but there are youths hiding and running in the back streets.
"There was supposed to be a meeting on Tuesday, to discuss the result of the talks between the Bangladeshi community and police following the arrest of this man, but nothing really happened. Tuesday night was a reaction to the lack of police action."
A police spokesman in Leeds told India Abroad that the violence had been confined to small groups of people. "There has been stone-throwing and bricks thrown at police vehicles, but most people out there are not doing anything," the spokesman added.
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