Ely riots one year on: how the community is rebuilding
Disorder was sparked in the Ely area of Cardiff following the deaths of two teenagers.
Last updated 22nd May 2024
Exactly one year on from the riots and disruption in Ely in Cardiff, it's hoped a new community plan will prevent the same from happening again.
Riots were sparked in the area after two boys, 16 year old Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans, aged 15, died after the e-bike they were riding crashed on Snowdon Road.
After rumours spread on social media about police involvement in the crash, rioting quickly spread in the area.
12 police officers were injured and an unconfirmed number of arrests were made.
In the days following the riot, CCTV footage appeared to show police following the boys on the bike in the minutes before the fatal crash.
An Independent Office of Police Conduct investigation was launched, and continues a year on from the incident.
It is investigating into the police's interaction with the boys before they died and the management of the crash scene.
Since then, Cardiff council, along with the Welsh Government, have released a report outlining their action plan for youth services in the area, with the hopes to prevent something like this happening again.
The new community plan will focus on improving services for young people, and include measures such as:
- Launching a new dedicated youth space at Cardiff West Community High School
- Delivering a young leaders programme at local secondary schools
- Delivering actions to disrupt and prevent crime and anti-social behaviour
- Develop dedicated programmes to support young people not in education or employment
- Increase dedicated mental health provision for adolescents
- Support and develop local active citizenship
Cardiff Council Leader Huw Thomas in a statement said "This was, and is, all about what the people of Ely and Caerau have told us they need to build their community up after the tragic events of last year.
"The local community and the Public Services Board will now work together to deliver the plan across the 12 months".
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies represents Ely as part of his constituency in the Senedd.
When discussing the plans, he said it was important that they were followed through with an properly implemented.
"There is no point in having a plan that meets the press release test and not the sustainability test when it is delivered on the ground
"What the communities in Ely will turn their back on is if the people who devised this plan turn their back on the community of Ely"
Andrew RT Davies believes youth services will be the key to ensuring riots like we saw last year do not happen again.
"They are part of the blend of what is required to sustain any community in our society, whether that be good, strong community policing, youth services pert of the fabric that people know they can turn to, as well as job opportunities and the ability to get qualifications through a decent education".
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