On Saturday 13th July 2024, I attended the opening hearing of the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Violence in Leicester in 2022. The event was held at the Y-Theatre in Leicester, and members of the public could attend to hear the testimony being presented to the inquiry. The session was well managed, well explained and was led by an expert panel who treated the witnesses with respect and allowed them to express their views.
The hearing was an opportunity to learn more about the causes and consequences of the violence that shook the city two years ago, and to hear the voices of those who were directly affected by it. I was impressed by the professionalism and sensitivity of the commission, and by the courage and honesty of the witnesses. I hope that this inquiry will contribute to the restoration of peace and harmony between the different communities of Leicester, and to the prevention of such conflicts in the future.
The Independent Commission aims to investigate the underlying causes and impacts of the violence that erupted between South Asian Hindu and Muslim communities in Leicester in 2022. The investigation is directly related to matters of social cohesion, as it seeks to understand and address the factors that disrupted community accord in a city previously known for its conviviality and multicultural integration.
The commission is examining the roles of various actors, including civil society organisations and social media, in both fostering and mitigating the violence and disharmony. It is assessing the responses of local agencies and the impacts on the affected communities. By doing so, the commission aims to identify and recommend strategies to prevent such conflicts in the future, thereby fostering stronger social cohesion and ensuring justice and equality between the different communities.
The commission has placed a strong emphasis on community participation, encouraging affected individuals and groups to share their experiences and insights. This inclusive approach is designed to build trust, promote dialogue, and enhance the sense of community solidarity, which are essential components of social cohesion. The Commission employs a comprehensive approach to gathering evidence, aiming for thoroughness and inclusivity. Their methods include:
- Public Hearings and Testimonies: The commission holds public hearings to gather individual experiences from community members. These hearings are essential for understanding the personal impacts of the violence and to inform the commission’s conclusions and recommendations.
- Engagement with Local Communities: The commission emphasises participation from local communities, including religious and youth organisations. This engagement is designed to ensure a wide range of voices and perspectives are heard, which is crucial for a holistic understanding of the events.
- Collaboration with Statutory and Voluntary Agencies: The commission collects evidence from both statutory and voluntary agencies to understand the broader context and institutional responses before, during, and after the violence.
- Independent Academic Research: Two universities are involved in conducting independent research to provide an evidence-based understanding of the violence. This research component supports the commission’s work with rigorous academic analysis.
- Community Surveys and Confidential Submissions: To facilitate wider community involvement, the commission has set up confidential surveys and submission channels. This allows individuals who may not be able to attend public hearings to contribute their experiences and perspectives safely and privately.
- Analysis of Social Media and Independent Actors: The commission also investigates the role of social media and independent actors in both exacerbating and mitigating the violence, which is crucial for understanding the dynamics of the conflict.
The commission recognises the importance of examining the role of legacy media in Leicester, as well as the use of social media platforms, in influencing the public opinion and behaviour during the violence. Hopefully, the inquiry recognises that the services of BBC Leicester have been reduced in recent years, with funding being diverted to regional reporting, rather than specifically place-based reporting for Leicester. This may have affected the quality and relevance of the information provided to the different local communities, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, when clear and accurate communication was vital for public health and safety.
Hopefully, the inquiry will also recognise the multiple local community radio stations in Leicester, who predominantly serve the South Asian communities. These are distinguished by religious affiliation, language and historical cultural heritage. These stations may have played a significant role in facilitating dialogue and understanding among the diverse groups in the city, as well as providing alternative sources of information and perspectives. However, the inquiry might wish to note that no official study or statement made by the local authorities, gives recognition of the role of community-focussed media has been taken up by the public service providers, who may have overlooked the complexity of the interacting multicultural identities in Leicester and their communication needs.
Therefore, if the inquiry aims to investigate how the legacy media and the community media may have contributed to either fostering or undermining social cohesion and harmony in Leicester, then it needs to take these broader and longer-term issues into account so that the inquiry can make recommendations for improving the media landscape and its responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of the local communities.
One of the initiatives that the inquiry might wish to consider is the Community Media Cohesion Charter, which was developed by Decentered Media, with the aim of supporting community media development and advocacy. The charter sets out a framework for promoting social cohesion and harmony through community media, based on the principles of inclusion, diversity, participation, empowerment, collaboration, and sustainability. The charter outlines the benefits and challenges of community media, as well as the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders, such as community media practitioners, funders, regulators, policymakers, and audiences. The charter aims to raise awareness of the potential of community media to foster positive social change and to encourage dialogue and cooperation among different actors in the media sector.
The commission may find it useful to revisit the issues raised by the Community Media Cohesion, especially considering the current discussions about the role of the media in Leicester. The charter may offer some insights and recommendations for improving the media landscape and its responsiveness to the needs and aspirations of the local communities. A conversation needs to take place that gives recognition and support for community media as a vital component of social cohesion and harmony in the city.
The commission recognises, moreover, the importance of examining the role of the media in relation to social cohesion and harmony in Leicester. Therefore, the commission will conduct its inquiry based on the following principles:
- Assessing Social Media’s Role: The commission is examining how social media may have contributed to escalating tensions and spreading misinformation. They are analysing the content shared on various platforms to understand its impact on the violence and community disharmony.
- Evaluating Legacy Media’s Influence: The inquiry is also looking at how traditional media outlets reported on the events and whether their coverage may have influenced public perception and responses. This involves reviewing the media narratives and their potential role in either exacerbating or mitigating the conflict.
- Public and Agency Hearings: Through public hearings and by gathering evidence from statutory and voluntary agencies, the commission aims to get a comprehensive view of the media’s involvement. This includes collecting testimonies from individuals and organisations about their experiences and the media’s role during the disturbances.
- Academic Research: The commission is supported by independent academic research that includes an analysis of media influence. This research will provide an evidence-based understanding of how media dynamics played into the events.
I’m hopeful, then, that the commission recognises the vital role of local and community media in fostering good relations and understanding between people from different communities. Local and community media can provide a platform for dialogue, representation, and empowerment, as well as challenge stereotypes and misinformation. With any luck, the commission will pay special attention to the function and impact of these media outlets during the disturbances and their aftermath.
Finally, public service and civic society organisations would do well to remember that the Equality Act 2010 specifies a public sector duty to promote understanding and good relations between people of different protected characteristics and none. This duty applies to all forms of communication and engagement, including media and social media. I hope that this duty will be upheld and respected by all parties involved in the inquiry and beyond, and taken forward in the development of media and communication practices and services in the future.
Addendum:
Populations change in Leicester has increased significantly in 2022/3 according to figures from the Office for National Statistics, as reported in the Daily Mail.
