Roma community in Leeds takes to the streets to protest again

The Roma community in Leeds took to the streets for the third night in a row on Saturday to protest after children were removed from a family.

Scores of people were out in the city last night chanting and singing in peaceful demonstrations, after locals set a bus on fire and overturned a police car in an angered display on Thursday.

The removal of the children from a home in Harehills has sparked concerns about underlying prejudice against Roma communities. The ethnic minority group, who are widely subjected to discrimination and poverty across Europe, make up some 5,000 people in the area.

Video footage posted on social media shows hundreds of people singing and chanting on the streets in a seemingly peaceful demonstration.

The singing was made louder using microphones as some members of the group held up signs reading 'please give back children'.

It came as a man was charged with violent disorder and arson in relation to the riots in Leeds earlier this week.

The riots in the Harehills area allegedly began after social services in the city removed all four children from the family.

The disorder saw a bus set alight by the rioters, and last night West Yorkshire Police charged a man in connection with the fire.

Iustin Dobre, aged 37, of Clifton Mount, Harehills, was charged with violent disorder and arson reckless as to endanger life. He has been remanded to appear at Leeds Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

Earlier yesterday, police arrested a further five people on suspicion of violent disorder.

Four people who were initially arrested in connection with the violent disorder have been bailed pending further investigation.

The father of the children removed has appealed for authorities to return them since West Yorkshire Police removed them 'to a safe place' while attending an incident with social services on Luxor Street on Thursday afternoon.

'Please bring my children back. I want them back. Why take my kids? They were taken from us,' the Romanian father of the children told The Mirror as he began a 'hunger strike' pending their return.

Police removed the children from a red brick terraced house on Thursday afternoon because their parents were due to fly with them to Romania this Saturday, reports say.

Social Services had concern for the children's welfare after an incident in April when another child, a nine-month-old baby, suffered a head injury.

The father's boss, Neculai Tudorache, 44, claimed the social services were alerted to the property after nine-month-old baby was allegedly dropped on its head 'accidentally' by another child.

The father told he had never hurt his children as he began a 'hunger strike' pending their return.

A video shot on Friday shows locals singing along to music while people hold signs which say 'please give back children.'

Further footage from Friday night shows a woman seemingly being led away by police because she was opposed to a second night of protests in Leeds.

The family, who are members of the Roma community, have committed to going on a hunger strike until their children are returned to them.

Stefania Banu, a local community leader, speaking to the the Daily Mirror said: 'The mother and father are refusing to eat until they get their children back. We are fully supporting them.

'We believe it was an injustice that can be rectified by the authorities if they revise the case. Which they have promised to do.'

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