New UK report into communal clashes in Leicester calls for unity forum

London, Feb 23 PTI A new report into violent communal clashes on the streets of Leicester in 2022, blamed on widespread disinformation, on Monday called for the creation of a permanent community unity forum to improve relations in one of Englands most diverse cities.

London, Feb 23 (PTI) A new report into violent communal clashes on the streets of Leicester in 2022, blamed on widespread disinformation, on Monday called for the creation of a permanent community unity forum to improve relations in one of England's most diverse cities. 'Better Together: Understanding the 2022 Violence in Leicester', released by the Leicester Project Research Team and chaired by human rights expert Professor Juan Mendez, concluded that no single community was to blame for the unrest which flared up following an India -Pakistan cricket match in August 2022. It stressed that the communal clashes between communities of Indian heritage underscore the urgency of fresh, nationally resourced and locally accountable approaches to building strong, resilient and united communities. ''Our report focuses on conflict between some groups of Muslims and Hindus in Leicester, but this issue affects all residents of Leicester – white, black, South Asian and others – all of whom have a stake in the city, its many communities, and the relations between them,'' the report notes. ''The communal dimension of the violence was clear, including the references to Muslims as 'Pakistani', though most South Asian Muslims in Leicester are of Indian origin,'' it states. Both Hindu nationalist and political Islamist actors were found responsible for actively seeking to ''inflame division for political ends''. ''As part of its public sector equality duty, the [Leicester] City Council should establish a permanent forum on community unity and resilience... (which) should develop joint initiatives to improve relations across all communities, backed by a dedicated fund. The forum should identify early signs of tensions and take relevant action,'' the report said. The research reinforces previous findings that disinformation and misinformation were central accelerants of the crisis, as ''motivated actors promoted false narratives that blamed others for the violence''. The research panel, including sociology professor Chetan Bhatt at the London School of Economics (LSE), Dr Subir Sinha of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and scholar Lisa Magarrell, claims to offer an independent and comprehensive investigation into the violence over three years ago. They found that the deeply damaging unrest was preventable with stronger civic leadership, earlier intervention and sustained investment in positive community relations. The report adds: ''Support the monitoring of and rapid responses to fast online mobilisation and incitement to violence in the event of vigilante-style actions in communities. ''Hold a public inquiry into ethnonationalist, religious and racist violence to better inform the public and public authorities about effectively countering threats and acts of violence, while avoiding the stigmatisation of lawful religious and political thought and ideas.'' In May 2023, the then Conservative government had commissioned an independent review into the clashes in Leicester to establish the facts and set out proposals for strengthening social cohesion locally. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said it is reviewing the findings of that particular review. PTI AK RD RD RD

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