‘Rumours after deaths of two teenagers in crash sparked Cardiff riot’
R
iots broke out in Cardiff after two youngsters died in a crash – with rumours circulating they had been being chased by police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales has stated.
Tensions reached breaking level after officers had been known as to the collision, in Snowden Road, Ely, at about 6pm on Monday.
Officers confronted what they known as “large-scale disorder”, with no less than two vehicles torched as hassle involving scores of youths flared for hours.
Alun Michael, South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, instructed BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “My understanding is that there was a road traffic accident involving two teenagers on an off-road bike or scooter and sadly they died.
“That’s an incident obviously that is being investigated in its own right.
“And that appears to have sparked, for reasons that aren’t clear, the disorder that you’ve referred to in which something like a dozen officers were injured, fortunately none of them life threatening, and the connection between the two is far from clear.
“So obviously there’s going to be investigations going on this morning to try and establish what happened.
“It would appear that there were rumours, and those rumours became rife, of a police chase, which wasn’t the case.
There was definitely a small group doing things but the vast majority of other people were just watching and having that normal camaraderie in the street that you have when something is happening in your street and you have no control over it
“And I think it illustrates the speed with which rumours can run around with the activity that goes on on social media nowadays, and that events can get out of hand.”
A fireplace was burning and a helicopter may very well be heard hovering overhead as rioters threw missiles, together with fireworks, at officers.
Police stated the crash “had already occurred when officers arrived”.
Scenes being livestreamed on YouTube confirmed younger folks throwing fireworks and different missiles at a line of law enforcement officials with riot shields who had been blocking one finish of the road.
Shortly earlier than midnight a automotive was set on hearth and burned fiercely, whereas a second car was overturned and likewise torched.
One individual was attacked as a result of rioters thought they had been an undercover officer, in keeping with a senior officer on the scene.
Police, together with mounted officers on horseback, had been seen outdoors Ely police station within the early hours of Tuesday after options it may very well be focused.
Shortly earlier than 3am, rioters moved down Highmead Road in Ely, adopted by law enforcement officials making an attempt to disperse them.
The rioters continued to throw missiles and set vehicles alight.
John Urquhart, normal secretary of the UK Harmony Party, lives in Ely and noticed tensions rise.
He instructed the PA news company a scarcity of communication from police to the group could have led to the escalation.
He stated: “The key thing right at the start was they did not communicate with the crowd, there was no attempt to communicate with the crowd and they showed nothing but disdain for the community and acted like we didn’t deserve to know what happened on our own doorstep.
“There was nobody going through the crowd. Crucially, I think the police really needed people to be out talking to the community and putting their minds at ease.”
Mr Urquhart, who has lived within the space for the previous few years, stated the scenario started to worsen at about 8pm.
“The vast majority of people who were stood in that street were stood there because they wanted to know what would happen next. There were a very small number of people actually doing any sort of violence,” he stated.
He stated he’s very “counter-violence” and was providing first help to folks all through the night.
“There was definitely a small group doing things but the vast majority of other people were just watching and having that normal camaraderie in the street that you have when something is happening in your street and you have no control over it,” he stated.
He stated the group in Ely is tight-knit.
He added: “When you start to see it in context, it’s emotions that have built up and bottled up and, eventually, I think the police just brought too many people or were too visible.”
At 8.21pm, South Wales Police tweeted: “There is now a large number of officers working to manage the collision, but also to de-escalate ongoing disorder at the scene.
“We urge anyone involved to leave the scene immediately and ask local residents to stay away while the matter is brought to a safe conclusion.”
At 1.10am, police stated they had been persevering with to observe and reply to “disorder in Ely”, including: “A number of vehicles have been set alight. Arrests are being made. A large police presence remains in the area.”
Jane Palmer, the proprietor of a burnt out Ford Focus in Highmead Road, stated she and her household watched from their window as rioters set hearth to the automotive.
She stated: “I’m disabled so now I’m trapped without my car.
“Why are they doing this? It’s just silly now.”
The household tried to douse the flames utilizing water from their backyard hose.
A person known as Connor, who additionally lives in Highmead Road, stated: “It’s been a mad night. This is not the norm around here but people are pretty anti-police and that’s reflected on both sides, not that that’s my opinion.
“Although we’ve been afflicted by this riot, I still understand it. When people have enough, this is what happens.”
Rubbish and wheelie bins had been additionally set alight by rioters as they continued to be moved by the streets by armoured police.