We are sharing this from our local MP, Alex Sobel. It includes details of a meeting tonight which will be held at St Michaels Church between 7.30pm-8.30pm and will be attended by senior police officers and local councillors. You can register to attend here.
Headingley Incident |
I want to begin by addressing the terrible incident that occurred in Headingley on Saturday 26th April. Many of you will already be familiar with the details, and I don’t want to add to anyone’s distress by repeating them here. Events like this are shocking and deeply unsettling—especially when they happen so close to home. I know many people are feeling anxious, upset, or simply struggling to come to terms with what’s happened. My thoughts are with the two young women who were injured, and with everyone in our community who has been affected or shaken. I want to commend West Yorkshire Police for their swift response, and thank the brave members of the public who stepped in to help at the scene. This incident is a stark reminder of the very real and present dangers posed by misogyny, online radicalisation, and male violence in every community—including our own. Many people have rightly asked: what happens now? Locally, we are organising a public meeting on the evening of Thursday 8th May. This will be an opportunity for residents to hear directly from senior police and council officers, ask questions, and raise concerns. The venue will be confirmed shortly. You can register to attend here. I am also meeting with ward councillors and council officers this week to discuss how we can improve safety along the Otley Run, both for the public and for those taking part. We’ll also be looking at wider measures to tackle male violence. If you’d like to receive updates on this, please email me at alex@alexsobel.co.uk with the subject line “Otley Run updates” and we’ll keep you informed. In addition, I have spoken with the Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper MP, about the incident and about the need to strengthen legislation around the availability of weapons. I raised an Urgent Question in the House of Commons on this issue. You can watch that here. |