Cardiff riots – live: Two teenagers killed in crash that sparked violent clashes
Tensions reached a breaking point during a riot in Cardiff last night after two teenagers were killed in a fatal car crash.
Officers said the trouble began after reports of a car crash collision on Snowden Rd in Ely at around 6pm.
South Wales Police said the collision had already occurred when officers arrived, and they remained on the scene to manage “large-scale disorder” until the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Specially-trained public order officers were deployed, including officers from neighbouring police forces, as several vehicles were set alight, property was damaged and officers were injured.
A fire was burning and a helicopter could be heard hovering overhead as rioters threw missiles, including fireworks, at the attended officers.
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Travis said: “The level of violence towards emergency services and the damage to property and vehicles was totally unacceptable.
“Our focus now is to fully investigate the circumstances of the collision and the appalling scenes that followed.”
Key Points
Cars destroyed and missiles thrown at police in night of rioting caused by crash in Cardiff
Fatal road accident ‘sparked’ riot
Police chief says ‘lucky’ officers did not receive life-threatening injuries
What caused the trouble in Cardiff last night?
Police condemn ‘totally unacceptable’ violence in riots
09:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
The level of violence towards emergency services and damage caused by riots that broke out in Cardiff after two teenage boys died in a crash has been described by police as “totally unacceptable”.
Tensions reached breaking point after officers were called to a collision, in Snowden Road, Ely, shortly after 6pm on Monday.
South Wales Police said the collision had already occurred when officers arrived, and they remained on the scene to manage “large-scale disorder” until the early hours of Tuesday morning.
The force said arrests have been made but did not say exactly how many.
What caused the trouble in Cardiff last night?
08:25 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
A crash that killed two teenagers appears to have “sparked” the rioting in Cardiff on Monday night, the Police and Crime Commissioner in South Wales has said.
Police faced what they called a “large scale disorder” after receiving reports of a collision on Snowden Rd in Ely around 6pm, with tensions reaching breaking point as cars were set on fire and fireworks were shot at officers.
Alun Michael told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday morning: “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.”
What caused the trouble in Cardiff last night?
Watch: Rioters hurl missiles at police in ‘large scale disorder’ at crash scene
08:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Disabled woman ‘trapped’ indoors after rioters set fire to her car
07:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Jane Palmer, the owner of a burnt out Ford Focus on Highmead Road, said she and her family watched from their window as rioters set fire to her car.
Ms Palmer said: “I’m disabled so now I’m trapped without my car.
“Why are they doing this? It’s just stilly now.”
The family attempted to stop the fire using water from their garden hose.
Police made ‘no attempt to communicate with the crowd’
07:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
John Urquhart, the general secretary of the UK Harmony Party, lives in Ely and witnessed the incident escalate from the start of the evening.
“There was definitely a small group doing things, but the vast majority of other people were just watching and having that normal comradery in the street that you have when something is happening in your street and you have no control over it,” he said.
He told the PA news agency that a lack of communication from police to the community may have led to the escalation of the event.
He said: “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.”
Police chief says ‘lucky’ officers did not receive life-threatening injuries
07:34 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
South Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Alun Michael said it was lucky police officers did not sustain more serious injuries during the rioting.
“People will be brought to account for the violence. Obviously very frightening for local people. And there were a lot of calls to the police expressing concern about what was going on,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Asked about objects and missiles being thrown at police, he said: “My understanding is that those things were thrown at the police and about a dozen officers were injured.
“None of them life-threatening, fortunately, but of course, there’s a lot a lot of luck involved in that.
“Officers were mobilised to the area and there was support from neighbouring forces.”
Fatal road accident ‘sparked’ riot
07:32 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Alun Michael, the Police and Crime Commissioner in South Wales, said a fatal road accident appeared to have “sparked” the rioting in Cardiff.
He told 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… 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 and I think it illustrates the speed with which rumours can run around with the activity that goes on social media nowadays, and that events can get out of hand.”
Cars destroyed and missiles thrown at police in night of rioting caused by crash in Cardiff
07:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
Cars were set on fire and fireworks shot at police officers during a riot in Cardiff last night.
Tensions reached breaking point on Monday night as riots broke out after police were called to the scene of a crash in Ely.
Officers faced what they called a “large scale disorder” after receiving reports of the collision on Snowden Rd around 6pm.
At least two cars were set on fire as trouble flared for hours, involving scores of youths, with some covering their faces with masks.
Cars destroyed and missiles thrown at police in night of rioting in Cardiff
Welcome
07:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain
... to our liveblog where we will keep you updated with the latest following the riot in Cardiff last night.
