Leicester South Asian Community Grapples with 2022 Riot Inquiry as Princess Kate Joins Holi Celebrations
Leicester's South Asian community found itself at the centre of two sharply contrasting stories recently — a searching academic reckoning with the communal violence of 2022, and a joyful royal visit marking the spring festival of Holi with the city's British Indian community.
🤝 SOAS Inquiry Asks How Leicester's Tradition of Shared Belonging Gave Way to Riots
A new report from SOAS, titled Better Together: Understanding the 2022 Violence in Leicester, has prompted fresh reflection on how a city once celebrated as a model of multicultural coexistence became the site of the UK's largest ever riots between Hindu and Muslim communities. Dr Avaes Mohammed of the British South Asian Bridgers Project spoke with people from South Asian communities across Leicester for the British Future think tank, exploring the gap between Leicester's proud tradition and the events of September 2022. The city was, by his account, genuinely different — its Diwali celebrations, widely cited as the largest outside India, attracted residents of every faith and background and helped shape a culture of genuine shared ownership across communities. As the UK's first city where no single ethnic group would form a majority, Leicester was positioned to become a global model of multiculturalism. Dr Mohammed, who grew up visiting family in Leicester and was shaped by that tradition, describes the urgency of the question the SOAS panel has now put before the city: how did a community with such an enviable record of cultural exchange allow UK's largest ever inter-community riots to unfold on its streets? The British South Asian Bridgers Project aims to rebuild the civic pathways that once made Leicester's pluralism so distinctive, drawing on the voices of community members who lived through both the pride and the breakdown. [1]
🪔 Princess Kate Visits Leicester's British Indian Community for Holi, Receives a Mala
On 5 March 2026, Catherine, Princess of Wales, visited Leicester to celebrate Holi with the city's British Indian community. Holi's tradition of white clothing informed her outfit choice: a bespoke Chris Kerr piece she had previously worn for her Christmas carol service in 2023, paired this time with a pleated cream dress from Ralph Lauren that suited the spring occasion far better than its original winter pairing. Upon her arrival, the Princess was given a mala — a necklace crafted from roses and pearls that carries a specific meaning in Indian culture as a symbol of respect and honour. She accessorised with Sézane's Dina earrings and Emmy London's Natasha clutch. The visit underlined the depth of Leicester's British Indian community's cultural presence: Holi has long been observed here with genuine civic warmth, and the invitation of the Princess of Wales to share in the celebration marked a recognition of the community's standing in the city's life. The Aakash Odedra Company, which the Princess visited, is a Leicester-based British-Indian contemporary dance company and one of the city's most recognised South Asian arts organisations. For a city currently reflecting on how its communities relate to one another, a royal Holi visit offered a reminder of what shared cultural celebration can look like at its best. [6]
Sources: [1] British Future · [6] W Magazine