The Matix is fracturing and people do no feel good about what they see!

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Eight injured in Bradford riots

Monday April 16, 2001

Three people were arrested last night after inner city rioting in Bradford that left eight people injured and caused thousands of pounds' worth of damage.
Smashed windows were being repaired and the wreckage of burnt-out cars removed this morning after violence involving hundreds of youths in the West Yorkshire city's Lidget Green area.

West Yorkshire police were today trying to establish what sparked the clash, though officers could not confirm initial reports of an argument between white and Asian youths.

Sergeant Paul Hepworth said: "People were fighting in the street when we arrived but it does not appear to be racially motivated at this stage. There were Asians youths in the main, fighting Asian youths and others."

Superintendent Mark Whyman later told a press conference: "Nobody is saying this is a racial incident to us at this time, but we are looking at the situation to take in all the facts. It is fair to say that our assessment is that there were mixed groups involved.

He continued: "There are tensions in Bradford, it is a multicultural society, but our work hasn't given us indications of problems that we saw in Lidget Green last night. It has blown up extremely quickly but we also gained control very quickly."

Mr Whyman said a 42-year-old dark European, a 19-year-old Asian and a 32-year-old white man were currently being questioned.

Police were called at 8.30pm last night to reports of a large fight at the Coach House pub in Legrams Lane, a West Yorkshire police spokesman said.

About 130 officers in riot gear attended the incident and were confronted by youths throwing bricks and petrol bombs.

The spokesman said: "The Coach House itself was badly damaged with windows broken and reports of a fire on the premises. A number of vehicles were set on fire. These disturbances were spread over a large area and involved a number of groups."

A second pub nearby, the Second West, was also badly damaged, a takeaway restaurant was broken up and a chemist's shop looted and set on fire.

None of the injuries were serious, though two people were kept in hospital overnight with facial fractures.

Extra officers will be placed on patrol in the area tonight.