Watch horrifying moment thugs set fire to bus during Harehills riot

Watch horrifying moment thugs set fire to bus during Harehills riot


This video captures the horrifying moment a group of thugs set a bus alight during the Harehills riots.

South Yorkshire Police has released the footage following the sentencing of four men for the arson. Isutin Dobre, 37, of Clifton Mount, Leeds, Mark Mitchell, 34, of Strathmore View, Milan Zamostny, 30, of Luxor Avenue and Celan Valentin Palaghia, 21, were jailed for their parts in the violence at Leeds Crown Court on Tuesday, October 1.

In the footage, Zamonsty can be seen adding fuel to the fire, while in the second clip Dobre can be seen trying to set it alight with a lighter. In the third clip, Mitchell can be seen hurling more fuel to the blaze and in the final clip Palaghia can also be seen helping push items into the bus.

Read More: Leeds man stabbed partner so hard knife broke, court hears

The violent scenes on July 18 began after the police were called in to help social services remove four children from a house in Harehills, which led to the crowd growing, before it became violent.

During the violence, a bus was surrounded, with its driver and passengers forced to run away and leave the bus behind. Bricks were thrown at the windows and people began to set it on fire.

[L-R] Images of Mitchell, Dobre and Zamonsty
[L-R] Images of Mitchell, Dobre and Zamonsty -Credit:West Yorkshire Police

Now, footage, shows the moment Dobre, Mitchell and Zamonsty took part in this violence.

Palaghia was seen trying to push items, including a sofa, out of a private van before setting fire to the items and encouraging others to go towards the bus. Half an hour later he was also involved in violence against the police, throwing bricks and other items.

Get all the latest and breaking crime news in Leeds by signing up to our Crime and Punishment newsletter here.

As he jailed the four, Judge Bayliss said: "Each of you has pleaded guilty to involvement in the mob violence that engulfed the Harehills area of Leeds on Thursday 18th July 2024. What happened that summer evening serves as a chilling example of how a violent, anarchic mob can, with astonishing ease, achieve complete lawlessness...

"It also offers a dystopian vision of what can happen when the rule of law is subverted by mob violence."

Palaghia
Palaghia -Credit:West Yorkshire Police

Mitchell was jailed for six years for arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered and violent disorder. Dobre was jailed for six years for arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered and violent disorder.

Zamonsty was jailed for five years and four months for arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered and violent disorder. Palaghia was jailed for three years for arson and violent disorder.