UPDATED 10am: Police issue pledge to take ‘robust action’ against last night’s perpetrators.
UPDATED 8.20am: A police spokesperson said about last night’s incident on Kirkstall Road:
“Police resources from across the county have been deployed throughout the evening to provide reassurance and continually gather evidence.
“Police have been monitoring key locations in order to minimise the risk and disruption to the public.
“A robust and thorough investigation is now under way to identify and prosecute those involved, and we would appeal to anyone with any information to contact West Yorkshire Police.”
UPDATED 10.25pm: Police say arrests have been made tonight and they expect significant arrest activity in the coming days. Police have also confirmed that the area is now clear, and ‘normal activity’ has resumed.
UPDATED 10.05pm: Police confirm Kirkstall Road meet-up was co-ordinated beforehand via social media.
UPDATED 9.10pm: Leeds City Council deputy leader and Kirkstall councillor Lucinda Yeadon has said all Specialist Road Policing Officers in West Yorkshire are currently in Kirkstall, as well as a police helicopter. She added:
“Key individuals have been identified. Police have said priority is safeguarding of public. Evidence is being collected.”
ORIGINAL POST: A large group of around 50 bikers have caused traffic chaos down Kirkstall Road tonight.
The bikers – scooters and quad nikes included – congregated around the viaduct on Kirkstall Road earlier this evening, with eyewitnesses saying they were performing wheelies and racing along the road.
Police closed the road at around 6.30pm and are currently in attendance along with a police helicopter.
The road closure has led to long delays in the area and disruption to local bus services.
The incident has led to local residents on Twitter likening the situation to post-apocalyptic sci-fi film Mad Max:
It’s understood the bikers drove through Leeds city centre earlier this evening …
@voiceofbramley @PeopleofLeeds @WLDispatch https://t.co/ZlDRD7PgHB
— Keely Bannister (@bobblybibbly) October 31, 2016
Looks like few actual bikers. Mostly idiot chavs on copters and quads.
Exactly. It’s annoying how people are calling them bikers. They’re not true bikers, they’re just chavs on dirt bikes and quads. It’s a shame that scum like these came out of the woodwork tonight and terrorized Leeds.
I hope they enjoyed their 15 minutes of fame before the coppers come a knockin’. Mad Max was filmed in the Australian outback, maybe they should be sent there.
Please don’t refer to these spunk trumpets as bikers, they are nothing more than chav scum riding Chinese Gumtree specials.