Assistant Chief Constable Norman Bettison, of West Yorkshire Police, stated that he saw a "..community tearing itself apart,"  and that "the youths seem to be rising up as much against society and elders as against the police.
Assistant Chief Constable Norman Bettison, from West Yorkshire Police, remarked that he observed a community being torn apart. He also noted that the young people seemed to be rebelling not only against the police but also against society and older generations.