Dinner to celebrate unity after violent disorder
BBCA special dinner has been held to celebrate how a community came together to support each other following violent disorder.
More than 250 people attended the event at the Jamia Masjid Al-Madina Mosque in Middlesbrough on Monday including police who were attacked during unrest in August 2024 sparked by the death of three girls in a knife attack in Southport.
Organiser Najabat Ramzan said the town was not about "hate and division" and he wished he had had enough room to invite all of those involved in the clean-up after the disorder.
Mr Ramzan said he had lived "happily and peacefully" in Middlesbrough for more than 50 years and had never experienced such "horrendous" violence.
"One friend had to hide his young children in the wardrobe,'' he said.
About 1,000 people had gathered in the town for a planned, peaceful protest on 4 August but it quickly turned into a violent rampage.
Homes, shops and business were looted and smashed up and cars were set alight.
Bricks, bottles and rocks were thrown at police officers and some told the BBC they feared for their lives.
Ch Insp Zoe Kelsey of Cleveland Police, who was at the dinner in recognition of her work that day, said it was "like being in a war zone and all you had was a shield and a stick".
"It is nice to see communities healing and coming together," she said.
Religious leaders of different faiths, police officers and politicians were among those who attended.
Mr Ramzan said people were now "stronger and more determined" and had realised that the town's diversity was one of its "greatest strengths".
'' We won't be scared by the minority, a few idiot thugs who tried to vandalise our town," he said.