- By Daniel Palumbo
- BBC Check
WATCH: CCTV appears to show police following people minutes before the plane crash
The BBC has verified closed-circuit television footage that appears to show a police car following two people on an electric bike minutes before a fatal crash sparked riots in Cardiff.
BBC Verify analyzed the video postmarked at 17:59 GMT on Monday on Frank Road in Ely 900 meters, or just over half a mile, away from the suspected crash site.
But South Wales Police said there were no police cars on Snowden Road – where the accident took place – when it happened.
“We have received footage showing a police car following a bicycle at just around 6pm,” said CH Supt Martin Stone in a statement outside Cardiff Bay police station.
He added that the footage “will help us determine the circumstances that led to the collision.”
CH Supt Stone confirmed that the force made a mandatory referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
South Wales Police denied that they had been followed, saying its officers arrived on the scene after the incident and were there to manage “widespread disturbances” into the early hours of Tuesday.
“Fifteen policemen were injured, 11 were taken to hospital, and four were treated at the scene,” said Che Subet Stone.
Police said there were arrests, but did not say how many.
“The residents have assurances that we will do everything we can to catch those responsible,” he added.
image source, Getty Images
A car burns amid mayhem in the Cardiff suburb of Ely
South Wales Police were called to the fatal crash on Snowden Road shortly after 18:00 GMT on Monday.
At around 20:00, the police tweeted that they were still at the crash site but were also working to “calm down the ongoing disturbances”.
The force said it had received a large number of calls from “understandably frightened” residents.
Local resident Ahmed Abdullah, 34, said he heard threats from rioters to “kill” police officers at the scene.
They said they wouldn’t stop until they killed a police officer.
Cardiff: Ely hooligans throw fireworks at police
“People in this community don’t feel safe right now. We feel it could escalate at any time,” he said.
He said that young men chased police officers onto the road, throwing rocks and rockets at cars.
The force said its thoughts were with the families of the two boys who died, as well as with those affected by the riots.
A car flipped onto its roof and was left burning at the scene
Bridie Poole, who knows the Evans family, said Harvey had “a lot of friends” and loved motorcycles and football.
He was Kerris W’s best friend [they] They were into the same things. “It was not surprising that they were together,” she said.
Ms. Ball said she believes the officers are after the two men “because there are videos going around”.
The council and religious leaders called for calm while the police investigation was conducted.
Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt told the Snead newspaper on Tuesday afternoon that more arrests are expected.
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