Independent Inquiry finds Police and Mayor should have done more to prevent violent religious clashes in Leicester in 2022
The report makes several recommendations, including better funding for local services, accountable policing, and more education around cultural sensitivities
Leicestershire Police and Sir Peter Soulsby should have done more to prevent the unprecedented violence between religious groups across Leicester in 2022, an inquiry has found.
The report, compiled over nearly three years by academics from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and London School of Economics (LSE), has blamed neither the Hindu or Muslim community for its role in the disorder which broke out over the summer of 2022.
The inquiry, which set out to examine the causes of the conflict, spoke to an estimated 300 residents through focus groups, interviews and surveys, and published its findings in the ‘Better Together’ report which was released today (Monday, February 23).
Investigators described the violence seen in the city as unprecedented, with the scenes developing following a violent attack in May before it escalated into car convoys, vandalism, and eventually an “aggressive” march on September 17, where masked protesters carried weapons and missiles while chanting slogans “that had the characteristics of communalism” in the Belgrave and North Evington areas.
The report concludes that “no group was solely responsible” for the violence. It says members of Hindu and Muslim communities were “both victims and perpetrators”.
However, the findings exposed several institutional failures within Leicester City Council, its Mayor and Leicestershire Police.
Investigators said that while individual councillors across parties attempted to calm the situation, there was “weak crisis leadership” from the Mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby.
They also said the council has not done enough to reconcile communities in the years since.
Professor Chetan Bhatt, who co-wrote the report, said: “Organisations have not met since and I think that is an issue. That reinforces what we are trying to say.”
A decade of austerity and subsequent financial pressures were also found to have contributed to the breakdown of conviviality. Cuts in council services of up to 50 per cent led to the closure of youth clubs, Sure Start centres, some children’s services and many community initiatives.
Professor Bhatt continued: “Many of the services that brought young people together that weren’t defined by identity are gone. There are no secular spaces for young people to engage in activities.”
Councillor Aasiya Bora, who won last week’s Stoneygate by-election for the Greens, called for an apology in light of the findings.
She said: “We must learn from this, and the mayor and Council must take a good hard look at themselves. The Mayor must accept this report, show leadership and accountability, and apologise.”
Sir Peter has questioned aspects of the report but promised to review its findings.
He said: “I haven’t yet received a copy of their report but will obviously look carefully at what they have to say.
“When they began their research, nearly three years ago, I did raise some questions with them about their independence, who had commissioned them, and how they were going to take evidence. I didn’t get a convincing explanation. I don’t know who they have spoken to.”
Leicestershire Police also faced criticism in the report, including concerns over poor monitoring of people mobilising on social media, a perceived inequality in the treatment of Hindu and Muslim men, and a general lack of understanding of communalism.
The march on September 17, the report says, should not have been allowed to move from a “Hindu area” (Belgrave) to a “Muslim area” (Green Lane Road, over 3km away).
When asked whether the unrest could return, panel members said “undoubtedly, yes”.
The report makes several recommendations, including improved funding for services, greater education around the cultural sensitivities that contributed to the unrest, and accountable policing.
Researchers said the responsibility now lies with community leaders to implement them.
Juan Mendez, the lawyer chairing the inquiry, described the recommendations as “a useful tool for the people of Leicester – to take upon the task that needs to be conducted in order to prevent recurrence of this violence”.
Chief Superintendent Shane O’Neill said: “The disorder, tensions and unrest that occurred in East Leicester during September 2022 represented an exceptionally complex and challenging period. The impact was felt not only across our diverse city, but also by communities beyond Leicester.
“Leicestershire Police has fully engaged with and supported the Government’s Independent Review.
“What we can say at this stage … is that our response to the disorder was at all times guided by our core policing principles – to police without fear or favour. The disorder placed significant and sustained demand on the force, due to its duration, the scale of offending, and the substantial volume of evidence that needed to be identified, reviewed and processed in order to bring offenders to justice.
“Throughout this period, officers and staff dealt with an exceptionally complex set of challenges with professionalism and dedication, focusing on those intent on causing harm and disorder within our communities.
“Throughout the incident and in the period since, we have worked closely with our communities and partner agencies to identify and address the root causes of the unrest, and we have continued our engagement efforts to support recovery and learning. We offered and continue to offer opportunities for religious leaders, community leaders and local elected councillors to participate in joint patrols with officers, including senior leaders, to promote transparency and build trust in our policing approach.”
Superintendent O’Neill said the force had also welcomed “elected leaders” to observe their processes – a move which he said demonstrated “transparency and integrity in our pursuit of justice in response to the wholly unacceptable behaviours witnessed”.
He said: “This work resulted in more than 50 individuals being charged with criminal offences linked to the disorder. We also ensured that victims were personally updated on investigative outcomes, alongside providing timely and accurate updates to communities about police action as events unfolded.
“The force continues to maintain strong partnerships with local communities. This includes ongoing engagement with local Independent Advisory Groups, which play a vital role in providing challenge, feedback and guidance, helping us to continuously improve and to ensure our communities remain safe. Officers also receive regular briefings on cultural awareness and sensitivities, including religious festivals and customs and practices, to ensure respectful, informed and proportionate policing in a vibrant and diverse city.
“Following our own internal review, we have further strengthened our approach, with these measures remaining in place today. This includes additional resources for the East Leicester Neighbourhood Team, enhanced leadership arrangements, and the appointment of a Chief Superintendent for the city of Leicester. These changes are designed to provide greater support to officers, strengthen connected leadership, and reinforce our focus on crime prevention, detection and community engagement.
“We remain committed to supporting both established and emerging communities across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. In East Leicester alone, we have supported numerous community events and multi-faith forums working closely with the Violence Reduction Network in regard to crime prevention and in support of a successful community leaders programme. We also continue to use dedicated communication channels such as Neighbourhood Link and WhatsApp groups to keep residents informed about local priorities, to counter misinformation, to increase public trust and confidence and to showcase the dedicated, professional and impactive policing work of our local officers in responding to emergencies and preventing and detecting crime.”