Two men have been charged by West Yorkshire detectives following a series of vigilante incidents that caused significant disorder across Leeds.
The trouble started when personal details of people accused of being sex offenders were posted online, which then triggered large crowds turning up at addresses and causing chaos in the streets. Police say the pattern repeated itself across multiple incidents in the city.
Detectives from West Yorkshire Police launched an investigation into the organised nature of the disturbances, looking at who was behind the online posts that effectively acted as a call to action for the crowds that followed.
Two men have now been formally charged in connection with the incidents. Police have not yet released full details of the specific charges, but the arrests signal that forces are taking a firm stance against this type of vigilante activity, even when it targets people accused of serious offences.
While public anger towards sex offenders is understandable, police have consistently warned that vigilante action creates serious risks. Crowds gathering outside properties can put innocent people in danger, intimidate entire neighbourhoods, and in some cases have led to cases of mistaken identity where completely innocent people have had their homes targeted.
There are also legal concerns around sharing personal information online with the clear intention of inciting others to confront individuals, which can fall foul of harassment and public order laws regardless of who the target is.
West Yorkshire Police have urged anyone with concerns about suspected sex offenders in their community to report it through official channels rather than taking matters into their own hands. The force has specialist units trained to investigate such allegations properly and safely.
The two charged men are expected to appear before magistrates in due course.