Police have continued making arrests following a bout of sectarian violence between the Muslim and Hindu communities in the multicultural English city of Leicester.
Five more men have been arrested by police in Leicester in relation to public fighting that marred the city last month after tensions boiled over between Hindus and Muslims, according to a report from the BBC.
The broadcaster reported that three men, only described as being “from Birmingham”, one aged 41 and two 22-year-olds, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm during an incident in Leicester on September 18th.
The police also arrested two males from Leicester, a 26-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, had also been arrested on suspicion of causing violent disorder and carrying an offensive weapon, respectively, on September 6th.
The temporary chief constable of Leicestershire Police, Rob Nixon, said that in light of the outbreaks of sectarian violence, extra officers would be made available during the upcoming celebrations for Diwali, one of the most important religious holidays for Hindus.
“It’s a very special time for so many people in the communities of Leicester, and a very special time for the city and those celebrations should go ahead,” he said.
“There will be a high-visibility police presence in the area throughout Monday to ensure this is the case,” Nixon continued. “I’d like to take this opportunity to ask – again – to not share unverified and unchecked information on social media. Misinformation has proven very destructive throughout.”
Spates of violence between gangs of youths have broken out across the multicultural city of Leicester after it hosted the India vs Pakistan cricket match in August, after which a member of a Muslim mob vandalised a Hindu temple in front of the police, further stoking tensions.
The violence has seen large groups, often clad in balaclavas and masks, roaming the streets in search of each other, however, police officers have also been injured on multiple occasions.
Leicester is one of Britain’s most multicultural cities and was previously held up by left-wing advocates for the feasibility of mass migration. Indeed, despite the ongoing sectarian violence, which has been reported to be spreading to other diverse areas, the city was still held up as an ideal by far-left MP Claudia Webbe.
“Leicester is a shining example of how people from different cultures can live together side by side. Our diversity is what makes Leicester special. We are the city where the minorities make up the majority. And we are richer for this vibrant exchange of cultures,” Webbe said, before blaming “far right” elements for trying to make the city look bad.
The Council of Faiths (LCOF) in Leicester said that footage of the violence posted on social media was being used to “paint a negative picture of Leicester” and to “divide our communities”.
Anglican deacon and GB News host Calvin Robinson disagreed saying: “Social media isn’t to blame; the problem is insufficient integration and mass immigration!” adding that the UK needs to “stop importing foreign drama”.
Follow Kurt Zindulka on Twitter here @KurtZindulka