East Leeds Event Explores Community-Driven Safety Models

Activists and local leaders from across East Leeds gathered at the Thackray Museum of Medicine to discuss radical new approaches to community safety in the area.

The Community Safety Reimagined event featured speakers and interactive workshops from panellists who shared their vision on how to increase equality, justice and grassroots solutions for marginalised communities in East Leeds.

Hosted by the Harehills Action Team, Racial Justice Network, and StopWatch, the event aimed to challenge traditional policing and build a coalition focused on community-driven safety solutions.

Throughout the day, participants engaged in discussions on state harm, with panellists such as Rizwaan Sabir, Goodness Woodhead, and Christina Maria Garcia sharing their experiences of exclusion and trauma caused by policing, healthcare, and immigration policies.

Woodhead highlighted the power of community spaces and creativity to support mental health, while Garcia critiqued the contradictions in how LGBTQ+ asylum seekers are treated.

“I am pleased to say the event was a resounding success, and a fantastic demonstration of demand in Leeds for a sense of public safety free from the pressures of state influence,” said Habib Kadiri, executive director of StopWatch, adding: “StopWatch hopes to continue working with Harehills Action Team and Racial Justice Network to satisfy the wishes of marginalised communities to be safe on their own terms.”

The event continued with workshops and a power-mapping exercise aimed at reclaiming safety within the community. Later during the event, Edwina Thomas, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, and Janine Griffiths led discussions on building safer neighborhoods without relying on the police. Suhaiymah emphasised the importance of imagination in creating new possibilities, while Edwina gave an impassioned talk about the importance of neighbours and community.

East Side Story was also in attendance and I gave an interactive talk and mini workshop on the importance of grassroots media. As part of the talk, I recounted my own experience of being subject to racist abuse growing up and much of this stemmed from the myths and stereotypes perpetuated in the media.

As the editor and one of the co-founders of East Side Story, I am passionate about teaching people how to tell their own stories and promote it to the right audience.

I also spoke about the importance of fact-checking and distributed handouts on the day which included some top tips on how activists can craft their own narratives.

The last part of the event featured a health and wellbeing talk by Miranda Arieh who spoke about the importance of self-care and gave some useful tips on how to manage powerful emotions.

Throughout the day, attendees were encouraged to create their own strategies and vision for taking back power and promoting positive change in the local community. During the event, plans were made to continue the discussion and develop concrete steps toward building a community safety coalition. With a strong focus on healing, accountability, and empowerment, East Leeds is poised to reimagine what safety means on its own terms.