People were always asking themselves, 'Is Harehills the place for me?' I think that it is

In the second part of our look back at the events in Harehills one year ago, we talk to policing figures about the force's reaction on the night and in the months since

- by James Connolly

The "foundations for renewal" in Harehills are now in place, a top policing boss has said on the anniversary of violent scenes in the east Leeds suburb.

It was a night of chaos on July 18 last year, when crowds were drawn to a disturbance involving police on Luxor Street. As tensions spiralled, a police car was attacked and overturned before a double-decker bus was set on fire on Foundry Approach, sending flames and smoke into the air.

No injuries were reported, but the incident drew national attention and raised urgent questions about policing, trust, and community cohesion in one of the city's most diverse areas.

For Alison Lowe, West Yorkshire's Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, the events of that night weren't just a political crisis - they were personal.

"My sister lives there and so do my niece and great-niece," she told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "I was seeing videos from my family - and I was frightened for them. I'm an east Leeds girl and I grew up there.

"I was devastated for the police and the violence they were enduring, and I was devastated for all of the law-abiding people who live peacefully and proudly in Harehills.