Police chief comments on Leeds United and Man Utd fan behaviour as arrest tally is revealed

The Elland Road clash came hot on the heels of the Whites’ visit to Old Trafford in midweek and although both clubs were forced to release a joint statement condemning ‘completely unacceptable’ chants about their respective historic tragedies. Songs about the murders of Leeds fans Kevin Speight and Christopher Loftus in Istanbul and chants relating to the 1958 Munich air disaster were heard throughout the afternoon.

But West Yorkshire Police are satisfied that their major matchday operation in the city and around LS11 helped to prevent significant trouble, with fewer than 10 arrests made.

Assistant chief constable Scott Bisset said: “Yesterday’s match was clearly a significant fixture in the football calendar and as a result we mounted a large scale operation to ensure the safe running of the match and the dispersal of fans afterwards. The force is highly experienced at managing such large events and works closely with Leeds United Football Club and other partners to ensure the safety of those attending.

"A handful of arrests were made for public order offences, but the event passed largely without incident, and I would like to thank the vast majority of fans who attended the game in the right spirit."

A heavy police presence in the city centre, around the train station and at the ground before, during and after the match aimed to ensure the safety of fans travelling to and from the game, while minimising inconvenience for the general public.

A spokesperson suggested the operation could be considered a success: “There was no significant disorder, with only a few minor incidents which led to nine arrests being made during the policing operation. Arrests were made for offences including assault, possession of Class B drugs and public order offences. Officers were deployed in sufficient numbers to rapidly intervene to identify and arrest the people responsible and prevent any escalation in disorder if needed.”

The arrest tally matches the 2021 meeting of the two clubs at Elland Road, when around 70 ticketless Manchester United fans were escorted away from Elland Road and there were missiles thrown onto the pitch from both sets of supporters during the game.