The death of two teenage boys in a car crash in the Welsh capital city of Cardiff has led to violent unrest, with riots breaking out in the Ely area. Several officers were injured during the "violent disorder," and vehicles were set on fire while several properties were damaged.
Though it is not clear how the car crash and the ensuing incident were related, there were reports that some rioters believed the officers may have played a role in the death of the boys. A certain number of arrests were made, with more likely to follow according to Assistant Chief Constable Mark Travis, who described the violence as "totally unacceptable."
Police had responded to the collision that occurred shortly after 6 pm yesterday, and they remained on the scene to handle the large-scale disorder. Footages shared on social media showed over a dozen police officers trying to contain numerous protesters, who had set a large object on fire in a residential road.
Riot police and police officers from neighboring forces were also deployed to the scene, as stated in the police statement. This violence happened in Ely, a close-knit community, which the Assistant Chief Constable Mark Travis described as scenes that people do not expect to see in their communities.
Travis extended his condolences to the bereaved, and the South Wales Police force vowed to carry out an investigation into the cause of the car crash and its aftermath.