Community meeting in Ely opens with ‘moment of reflection’ after boys’ deaths
A meeting between public officials and community representatives after the deaths of two best friends in Cardiff sparked a riot has begun with a “moment of reflection” for the teenagers.
First Minister Mark Drakeford is chairing the meeting between local politicians, agencies, and community groups, including Ace (Action in Caerau and Ely).
He is being joined by Welsh Government Social Justice Minister Jane Hutt, as well as Kevin Brennan MP, who represents the Ely area, South Wales police and crime commissioner Alun Michael, ward councillor Russell Goodway, council leader Huw Thomas and council chief executive Paul Orders.
The meeting is being held following the deaths of Harvey Evans, 15, and best friend Kyrees Sullivan, 16, who died when the Sur-Ron bike they were riding crashed in the Ely area of Cardiff just after 6pm on Monday.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “The meeting started with everyone marking a moment of reflection for the family and friends of Kyrees Sullivan and Harvey Evans.”
Their deaths sparked several hours of violence and disorder after word spread on social media that a marked police van had been pursuing the pair minutes before the crash.
Nine people between the ages of 15 and 21 were arrested following the disorder.
CCTV
CCTV from the area has since confirmed police were following the teenagers despite Mr Michael dismissing it the following day as “rumour”.
On Friday evening a vigil and balloon release has been planned to pay tribute to the boys.
In a Facebook post, a friend of the families said: “We know tensions are still high right now. But we ask if for the balloon release people can keep their anger inside.
“The mums asked if no Sur-Rons can be seen around out of respect and let us all come together for the love and life that they had here with us.”
Police said they are continuing to investigate both the crash and the riot which followed.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into “any interaction” between the South Wales force and the teenagers prior to the crash.
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Alun Michael is to blame not just for giving false information, but agreeing to be frontman for the police claiming no involvement. The Police Commissioner is elected and paid to be independent of the police. He should have being listening to local people to understand the context of the dreadful deaths of youngsters out for a good time on their electric Surron bike. The Coroner wil doubtless have something to say about policing in Ely in the context of lax licensing of potentially powerful bikes. FM Drakeford should not have defended his right to express a (wrong) opinion and Alun… Read more »
Its surprising (or is it?) that Plaid Cymru hasn’t publicly made the point that what we are witnessing here is the ‘one party state’ atmosphere of life under perpetual Labour rule in Wales, where the like of Alun Michael and the cops all back each other up no matter what, and at the expense truth and justice. Wales is so corrupt, and the network of the usual suspects has been caught out here very publicly. Plaid Cymru, having no killer instinct, and being run nowadays as a kind of High Street charity shop, rather than a political party, will make… Read more »
Alun Michael needs to be removed, there’s a petition being shared onlibe. You make a good point about Plaid, I have only seen comments from Sioned Williams.
Do you know if the boys are definitely being passed to the coroner? Cardiff bus has said that none of their vehicles were involved. They were asked to stop after approaching the scene of the collision. There are rumours that the boys were left on the scene of the collision without any medical attention.