London, February 23 A new report on violent communal clashes in Leicester in 2022, attributed to widespread disinformation, called on Monday 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 solely responsible for the unrest, which erupted following an India-Pakistan cricket match in August 2022.
It emphasized 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 the 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 references to Muslims as 'Pakistanis,' although most South Asian Muslims in Leicester are of Indian origin," it states.
Both Hindu nationalist and political Islamist actors were found to be actively seeking to "incite 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 mobilization 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 stigmatization of lawful religious and political thought and ideas."
In May 2023, the then Conservative government 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.
