Politicians condemn Ely violence and call for calm following riots

Politicians including the prime minister have condemned violence and called for calm following a night of rioting and disorder in the Ely area of Cardiff.

The rioting erupted on Monday evening following the death of two teenage boys who were killed after a collision on an e-bike.

Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said: “The reports of disorder, violence, arson and specifically attacks on police officers are appalling and unacceptable.

“We remain grateful to the emergency services and first responders for all their support to the community and restoring order.”

In the Senedd, Welsh Government minister Jane Hutt answered an Emergency Question granted by the Welsh Parliament’s Llywydd or Presiding Officer.

Ms Hutt told Senedd Members that “While South Wales Police urgently investigate the circumstances, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further. I would call for calm, and for people to support the police and other agencies involved in supporting the local community.”

Welsh Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies, who tabled the original question said that he wanted to “endorse the comments … about calm, and dealing with the facts that relate to this particularly tragic incident?

“And our thoughts and prayers are obviously with the family of the two individuals, as I understand it, who sadly have lost their lives in a road traffic accident. 

“There can be no excuse for the violence we witnessed last night on our TV screens and social media outputs, but what I would ask of the Welsh Government is: what assessment has been made by the Welsh Government, along with its partner agencies, of the strength of community cohesion in the area of Ely in Cardiff, and in particular, the ability for those agencies to respond and work positively and proactively with the community to build the opportunities, install hope in communities, and ultimately make sure that residents in this part of Cardiff do not have to tolerate this level of lawlessness?

“And will you support me in wishing that the agencies of the law bring forward anyone they can identify, so that the full force of the law can be brought against them to make sure that there is no repetition of these scenes that we saw on our screens last night?”

In response, Jane Hutt said that she wanted “to thank all those services, and indeed, the community itself—all those services involved, health, police, the local authority, fire and rescue services—for the exemplary way they've pulled together to handle the situation.

“And I think it is a reflection of the excellent community safety partnership work that's been done in that part of Cardiff, focusing on it last night. It enabled those services to work together so well in this fast-moving and tragic situation. 

“I do understand that South Wales Police have made arrests in connection with the disorder, and that more will follow, but, clearly, this is something where our thoughts are also with the community—such a warm and strong community.”

Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan who represents the South Wales Central region which includes Cardiff also shared her “deepest, deepest sympathy with the families of the victims, and their friends, of course, and, as you say, the community.”

But she added that “people are terrified, saying that they are still worried that this could escalate further. And what I would want to ask is: what discussions have taken place to provide reassurance to those in the community that suffered last night—they were terrified in their homes—and, obviously, to deal with the tragic loss of two young people as well?

She also raised “what seems to be that breakdown in community police relations as well, in terms of miscommunication” and that as well as “miscommunication on social media” there had been “absolutely no communication with myself as one of the five Senedd Members for the area, to find out anything about what happened or to provide any reassuring messages; I've still not received any messages.”

The minister said that “I've already met with the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, Alun Michael, for an update on this incident, and the First Minister has also been briefed. South Wales Police are looking into exactly what happened, the circumstances surrounding this tragic series of events.

“And I have to say, it was a fast-moving situation; I think we were only becoming aware, and I know that the local councillors and the police and all the agencies were working to address the situation, as it emerged.”

Separately the First Minister Mark Drakeford, whose constituency includes Ely, tweeted that he was “Very concerned to see the upsetting reports from Ely overnight and my thoughts are with all those affected.

“We continue to monitor the situation to gain a fuller understanding of the circumstances.”