Riots against police broke out in Cardiff, Wales, on Monday night after a fatal road accident involving two teenagers. Around 150 rioters, many wearing balaclavas, clashed with officers following false rumours of a ‘police chase’ circulating on social media that had led to the crash.
Scores of rioters targeted officers, hurling paving slabs and fireworks and setting fire to vehicles, rubbish bins and mattresses after the accident on Snowden Road in the deprived suburb of Ely in the early evening. Police blocked off the road as the flames took hold.
Footage was also live-streamed on YouTube and showed gangs of youths attacking riot police equipped with full protective gear and mounted officers on horseback as a police helicopter hovered overhead.
According to police, one member of the public was attacked after rioters mistook the person for an undercover officer.
https://twitter.com/KJ00355197/status/1660897447512506370?s=20
Alun Michael, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales representing the Labour Party, confirmed that two teenagers had died in the road accident, allegedly involving an e-scooter, but stated that contrary to rumours, police had only attended the scene after the incident had occurred.
Mr Michael said: “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 on social media nowadays, and that events can get out of hand.”
He added the attackers had left around “a dozen officers were injured, fortunately none of them life-threatening”.
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.”
He stated that arrests had been made and that a strong police presence would be maintained in the area over the coming days.
Massive riot in Ely, Cardiff, this evening after two youths died when their motorcycle was in collision with a bus. It is understood the youths were being pursued by police when the fatalities occurred. pic.twitter.com/c88F6qWQSQ
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