Tensions reached breaking point in Cardiff on Monday night as riots broke out (Picture: Getty/Wales News Service)
Gangs of masked yobs set fire to cars and hurled missiles at police as riots erupted on the streets of Cardiff last night.
The mob squared off against South Wales Police, with footage livestreamed on YouTube showing them throwing fireworks, paving slabs and even a door before charging at officers with riot shields.
Two cars were set ablaze and a passer-by was allegedly attacked by rioters mistaking them for an undercover cop.
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. She said: ‘I’m disabled so now I’m trapped without my car. Why are they doing this? It’s just stilly now.’
The chaos broke out after officers were called out to reports of a serious car crash on Snowden Road at around 6pm.
It’s not clear what caused it, but residents suggested an already fraught relationship between police and locals boiled over.
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Carnage broke out on a residential street (Picture: Wales News Service)
A car burns on Highmead Road during unrest (Picture: Getty)
Police officers on Howell Road in Cardiff as they face a ‘large scale disorder’ (Picture: PA)
A fire burns in protest following a serious road crash (Picture: Getty)
John Urquhart, the general secretary of the UK Harmony Party, lives in Ely and witnessed the incident escalate from the start of the evening.
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.’
Mr Urquhart, who has lived in the area for the last few years, said the situation started to escalate at around 8pm.
He said the community in Ely is tight-knit, adding: ‘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.’
The street was swarmed with police and rioters (Picture: Wales News Service)
Police with riot shields cordon off access to the scene (Picture: Getty)
Police on horseback also keep watch (Picture: Getty)
Scenes being livestreamed on YouTube showed youths throwing fireworks and other missiles at a line of police officers with riot shields blocking one end of the street (Picture: PA)
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.’
In an update at 1.10am, police said they were continuing to monitor and respond to ‘disorder in Ely’, adding: ‘A number of vehicles have been set alight. Arrests are being made. A large police presence remains in the area.’
A man called Connor, who also lives in Highmead Road, said: ‘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.’
Cars were set ablaze (Picture: Wales News Service)
A fire was burning and a helicopter could be heard hovering overhead (Picture: Wales News Service)
Rubbish and wheelie bins were set alight as well as cars by rioters as they continued to be moved through the streets by armoured police.
Rioters gradually moved down Highmead Road in Ely, Cardiff, followed by police who were trying to disperse them.
They continued to throw missiles and set cars alight.
Another resident of Highmead Road, who did not want to be named, said: ‘Enough is enough now. This has gone beyond.
‘When people are making fun of what’s happening on social media it’s crossed a line.
‘This is our neighbourhood and those doing this are just kids. It needs to stop.’
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Two cars were set ablaze and a passer-by was allegedly attacked by rioters mistaking them for an undercover cop.
