Harehills: Another charged over chaotic night of disorder in Leeds suburb as police operation continues
Another man has been charged after a chaotic night of disorder in Harehills.
Celan Valentin Palaghia, 21, of no fixed address, was charged with violent disorder and arson. He is due to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court today (July 31).
It follows riot scenes on the streets of the east Leeds suburb on July 18. Police were called to Luxor Street over an “ongoing disturbance” involving “agency workers and children”.
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Soon after, pictures showed chaotic scenes unfolding with a police car overturned and a double-decker bus set on fire.
In the two weeks since then, police said that 20 arrested have been made, with 17 directly related to the night’s disorder.
The force said that a "fast-paced investigation" is continuing, with uniformed officers remaining in the area to provide reassurance.
Facial recognition technology has been used to identify suspects, while hundreds of social media posts continue to be analysed.
As a result, 40 suspects have been identified.
Iustin Dobre, 37, of Dorset Terrace and Baldovan Terrace, Harehills, was the first to appear in court following the chaotic scenes earlier this month.
He was charged with violent disorder and arson reckless as to endanger life, and will remain locked up for now until the next hearing.
Last week, two more suspects appeared in court. They were Mark Mitchell, 43, of Stanmore View, Burley, and Zamonsty Milan, 30, of Luxor Avenue, Harehills, who were both charged with arson reckless as to endanger life and violent disorder.
They were also denied bail and will be held on remand until their next appearance at Leeds Crown Court.
Assistant Chief Constable Patrick Twiggs said: “Arresting and bringing to justice those involved in last week’s disorder in Harehills remains a key focus for the force.
“A dedicated investigation team was set up within hours of the disorder, with initial arrests taking place early on Friday morning and continuing over the weekend.
“We have promised residents that all necessary resources will be utilised to bring in all those believed to be involved, and our efforts will continue.
“I want to thank residents in Harehills for their dignified response to the offending committed by a minority on Thursday night and Friday morning.”
He added: “We continue to work with the communities of Harehills and have engaged in several community meetings since Thursday evening.
“These have been well-attended allowing us to understand the strength of feeling in the community and support for police action.
“Residents rightly want to see those involved progress through the criminal justice system and local officers remain highly visible to support the local community. This targeted support will continue for as long as it is necessary.”
A portal has been created for people to submit information, photos and footage relating to the disorder. Information can also be reported by calling 101 or reporting via the West Yorkshire Police website.
Alternatively, information can be passed on anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.