Teesside thanks volunteers who joined campus clean-up after riot

Teesside University has thanked volunteers who helped to clean up debris after the institution was targeted during anti-immigration riots.

Windows of a university building were smashed during unrest in Middlesbrough on 4 August described by police as “staggering”, which resulted in 43 arrests.

Images showed the Olympia Building on Victoria Road, home to specialist sports science laboratories and sports pitches, with significant damage.

In a post on X, the university said that a number of volunteers had “turned up unprompted” on the morning of 5 August to help clean up the damage.

“The violence and disorder that took place in Middlesbrough on Sunday is not representative of our town and community. We are proud to be part of a diverse and inclusive community and are saddened by these acts of violence carried out by a small minority of individuals,” Teesside said.

“We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the volunteers who turned up unprompted first thing this morning to assist our clean-up operation. They embody the real values of Teesside as opposed to those intent on causing disruption and division within our communities.

“Our core business, transforming lives and economies through education, continues as usual, and we continue to work with our community partners to protect and celebrate our values.”

Cars were set alight and missiles were thrown at police during the rioting in Middlesbrough, part of a wave of anti-immigration violence that has spread across parts of the UK following the death of three girls in a knife attack in Southport.

A 17-year-old boy born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, Axel Rudakubana, has since appeared in court facing charges including three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder.

But misinformation spread online by far-right figures falsely claimed that the suspect was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat last year.

Assistant chief constable David Felton, of Cleveland Police, said after the unrest in Middlesbrough: “The level of violence we have seen today is staggering. We know the shocking scenes across Middlesbrough today will have caused alarm amongst communities.

“I want to reassure the people of Teesside that we will continue to identify those involved in these acts of violence and arrest them and put them before the courts.”

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com