Cardiff riots: Two teenagers die in crash before Ely mess

Two teenagers died in an accident before a riot broke out in Cardiff that left several police officers injured.

Cars were set on fire and police were set on fire as 100 to 150 people gathered in Ely on Monday night. Police dismissed rumors on social media that they were involved in the accident, saying officers arrived at the scene after the incident.

The link between the crash and the riot is unclear, police and the South Wales Crime Commission said. "It would seem that there are rumours, and these rumors have become commonplace, that the police are chasing - which is not true," said Alun Michael.

"I think that shows how quickly rumors can spread with what's happening on social media these days - and how things can spiral out of control."

Mr. Michael said as many as 12 workers were injured in the riot. Prime Minister's spokesman Rishi Sunak said the incident was "horrific and completely unacceptable."

The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, said he was concerned by the "disturbing news". South Wales Police were called to the crash on Snowden Road shortly after 6pm BST on Monday.

Around 8:00 p.m., police tweeted that they were still at the scene of the rally but were also working to defuse the ongoing unrest. The army said it had received a large number of calls from residents in "unfathomable fear".

At 01:10 BST on Tuesday, police said several cars had been set on fire and were being seized. The trooper said his thoughts are with the families of the two men who died and those affected by the violence.

More arrests will follow, a police spokesman said. "Our aim now is to fully investigate the circumstances of the collision and the horrific scenes that followed," the spokesman added.

Mr Michael told BBC Radio 4's Today that the crash in which the two children died was being fully investigated' but it appeared to have fueled the uproar. But he said the link between the two incidents was "not clear".

"So obviously there will be an inquiry this morning to try and find out what happened," Mr Michael said. The Independent Commission for Police Conduct said it had not been asked to investigate the accident or the riot in Ely.

Ely is a suburb to the west of Cardiff, about 8km from the city centre. Local resident Ahmad Abdullah, 34, said he heard threats from rioters to "kill" police officers there.

"They said they won't stop until they kill a policeman. "Now the members of this community are no longer comfortable. We believe it can escalate at any time."

Youths were chasing police on the road, throwing stones and bombs at cars, he said. Mr. Abdullah, a bus driver who lives on the road with his wife and three children, said the officers used fire extinguishers to put out the burning weapons and ran into the vehicle.

"They vandalized my taxi and my neighbor's car too. They also throw stones at my door, bricks.

"It looks like they're shooting. Like a rocket.

"I thought to myself, it's the end of the world now," he said. The Vicar of Ely said something had been "running" in the area for some time.

Canon Jan Gould told BBC Radio 5 Live's Nicky Campbell: "It's not unusual in the summer to hear helicopters looking at things. This is becoming more of a problem."

"My heart goes out to Ely," he added.

Two police cars were damaged in the scuffle, photos show one with a broken window and broken windshield.

A member of the public was also attacked because some of the crowd thought he was an undercover police officer, according to a senior officer who was there. At least two car bombs were set on fire, including one that was flipped onto its roof.

Jane Palmer said she and her family watched from the window as people outside set fire to her car. "I'm not disabled, so now I'm stuck without my car," she said.

"Why are they doing this? It's just stupid now."

As the riot continued into the early hours of the morning, the crowd moved to nearby Highmead Road as police tried to disperse them.

Police, including officers on horseback, were seen outside Ely Police Station despite suggestions it could be secured. John Urquhart, who lives in Ely, saw the situation worsen in the early evening.

He said the vast majority of people were on the streets because they "wanted to know what was going to happen next", adding that there was a "very small number of people who actually committed crimes . kind of violence."

Mr Urquhart said he was a "proactive person" and was providing first aid to people during the evening. Someone else lives, someone who doesn't want to