A community together united by joy: a story of the Harehills Unity Day
On 18 July 2024 a riot broke out in Harehills, Leeds which resulted in a night of terror for residents. There are two competing realities for what went on that night: one depicts Harehills as innately criminal where this kind of disorder is only a stone’s throw away. The other perspective saw this outburst as a rejection of the community’s true spirit, a place where whatever your creed or your colour you’re one of the community, a place where when you fall down your neighbour picks you back up. Recently I witnessed one of the demonstrations of this second view when I attended the Unity Day held by Green Party councillor, Mothin Ali.
On the night of the 18 July, the streets of Harehills were alive with the spirit of riot. In the space of one evening, police cars were flipped and a bus was burned and fires were started. However, despite the alarming sound of these claims few people were seriously hurt in the incident itself, with most of the injuries being suffered by firefighters after the riots.
The riot was sparked off by Social Services attempts to take four children into care, following a decision by a family court which stated that the children should be remanded into the custody of their extended family. There seems to have been a dispute between CAFCASS and other child welfare authorities on the best way to proceed with the case according to Social Worker News. The police were summoned to the removal of the children at 17:00 to support social workers, tensions raised as onlookers gathered. The final spark to the powder keg of emotion was an altercation with the social service workers. After the altercation occurred, locals began to attack the police, the police allegedly partially withdrew from the area in response to the attack, however this is disputed by other accounts.
Regardless of the truth of the withdrawal, locals gave accounts to news organisations about how they felt abandoned both by the police and most of the political establishment, an easy feeling to sympathise with given Harehills ward is the second most deprived ward in Leeds according to a 2020 Leeds observatory survey.
The riots were quickly capitalised upon by various far-right commentators to decry the area’s ethnic minority population. With far-right leaders using this incident to push anti-ethnic minority rhetoric. Reform’s deputy leader, Lee Anderson, said that this was the result of “third world culture” but was roundly denounced for his inaccuracy and racism by local MP’s and councillors.
Indeed, the riot itself subsided fairly quickly with the community coming together to put out the fires, clean up the mess, and assist the police in ensuring people could get back to normal. However, the event itself left a trauma which local activists have been working hard to heal.
Organised by Green party councillor, Mothin Ali, the goal of the Unity Day on 27 October was to bring the community together for a day of fun, whilst also driving engagement from local emergency service providers, supporting local businesses, and engaging charity providers in the area. By providing this space for people to engage with these sections of the community, the event served multiple purposes. Firstly, Unity Day reinforced confidence in emergency services, as the presence of the fire service allowed locals to build back the rapport lost in the riots. A second advantage came from charity outreach, both ensuring locals were aware of how charities can support them in times of crisis, and to make them aware of local volunteering opportunities giving them an option to strengthen community bonds. Finally, the local business turnout provided a basis for locals to support one another in building up the area financially, it also gave a chance to enjoy the festivities on a full stomach, something not to be understated in efforts to make new friends!
I arrived as they were setting up the bouncy castle, at the time there was an atmosphere of efficient bustle as stalls were erected and charities, like Penny Appeal, arrived to provide food. This quickly gave way to an atmosphere of a village fate as the community arrived, and the sound system got going.
After the local fire service tried jumping down the inflatable slide, the children flocked to join in. Their joy in the event was palpable, with many parents commenting on how easily their children were making new friends. It seems that the next generation will likely be able to heal community rifts, even if there parents may struggle to achieve the same objectives.
However, the event was still a small scale affair, while organisers intend to host this event again next year, they above all else want it to grow. Unity Day represents that right-wing narratives that perpetuate that Harehills is inherently anti-social are incorrect. This area is welcoming, vibrant and a deeply communal neighbourhood which I saw on display at the Harehills Unity Day. Be sure to attend the next Unity Day to demonstrate community in the face of hatred.
Words by Charlie Aldous
