Leicester Unrest: The need for central government inquiry and investigation

Shival Mandir attack

Shiva Mandir on Belgrave Rd, Leicester attacked 17.09.2022   (Image: Twitter)

 

A series of extremely concerning events have taken place in Leicester in 2022 and especially the series of violent attacks on persons, homes, businesses and temples from late August 2022. 

The Mayor of Leicester City Council has commissioned one review although the appointed chair of the review, has recused himself, correctly in our view given his compromised position. Taking these and other factors into account we cannot endorse any review which takes place under the auspices of the local authority.

We advocate the following two steps be taken by HMG in order to get to the roots, causes and consequences of the unrest in Leicester in 2022. The routes we advocate are:

1. A statutory inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 which will have the power to compel evidence and witnesses.
2. An intervention and inspection into Leicester City Council by the Communities Secretary under the Local Government Act 1999.

    We believe that both are justified and among the reasons are:

    • The sustained nature of the attacks against a section of the community in Leicester without the police being able to bring them under control.
    • Suspected collusion of the city council and the mayor with the attackers and/or instigators.
    • Suspected collusion of the police with the attackers and/or instigators.
    • The potential institutional capture of the city council by an extreme wing of one religious community.
    • The routine exposure of a section of the Leicester’s community as targets of violent attacks on their persons and property.
    • The suspected non-acceptance by the police of complaints of criminal behaviour in the lead up to and during the unrest.
    • The fleeing of the exposed section of Leicester’s community away from Leicester, leaving their homes, businesses and property as a result of a lack of security, which the authorities have failed to guarantee and/or worsened their exposure to violence.
    • The failure of the authorities to curb the spread of religious extremism in Leicester.
    • The spread of fake news in mainstream national and social media to justify violent attacks which further exposed a section of the community to attacks and hid the identity of the perpetrators and/or instigators.
    • The involvement of the police and the city council in the spread of fake news in order to justify violent attacks against one section of the community.
    • The use of a false narrative as to the cause of the attacks by the national and social media by the local authority, the police, and academics, which diverted attention away from the actual perpetrators/instigators of violence.
    • The use of religious justifications to pursue violent attacks against a section of Leicester’s community.
    • The use of Islamophobia as a cover for violent attacks against one section of the community.
    • The territorialisation of parts of the city of Leicester, including public roads, resulting in ‘no go areas’ combined with threats of violence
    • Links between the perpetrators and instigators of the attacks to nationwide and international networks of crime and religious extremism.

    DSP Publishing on behalf of the Daman & Diu Communities

    Daman – Patel and Koli Samaj Leicester UK

    Daman – Shree Damania Machhi Mahajan Leicester

    Daman – Shree Ganesh Mitra Mandal

    Diu – Ghoghla Kharwa Association

    Diu – Jay Bhavani Association

     Diu – Kharva Samaj