- Monday, March 10, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Rob Nixon, temporary chief constable for Leicestershire Police, has said that the recent clashes in Leicester did not involve people from the Hindu and Muslim communities only and warned against “broad, sweeping comments” about the unrest that spread.
Speaking to BBC, Nixon said, “Everybody likes to simplify the message, and make broad, sweeping comments that ‘this is the Hindus versus the Muslims, and the Muslims against the Hindus’.
“Actually what we know is that this isn’t representative of all the Hindus, it isn’t representative of all the Muslims. In fact, it’s a small collection of individuals who are connected with [those faiths], but not exclusively… because [some] people that have come to our attention have been linked with the Christian faith.
“So I’m trying to encourage people to move away from the idea that this is solely about the clash of two religions and faiths.”
Tensions mainly involving young males from the two religious faiths led to a large-scale ruckus and disorder on September 17. The police made nearly 50 arrests, charged nine people and were investigating 158 crime incidents as a result.
On Monday (26), Nixon said the tensions were “broadly more complex than just one or two issues”.
He also said that the August 28 cricket match between India and Pakistan was “a flashpoint” and that “there’s been simmering tension that goes way before that”.
The official also added that there were issues related to the integration of “new and emerging communities” in Leicester city, and a “perception across communities of a lack of social or cultural respect” between them prevailed.
Nixon also cited transforming dynamics between “traditional faith-based leadership and the younger generation” in both the religious communities and according to him, some people were becoming more disconnected from the traditional community networks in the city and more connected with “equally disconnected” young people in other cities, the BBC added.
