Ely riots: People threw slate 'like frisbees', riot trial told

During a riot in Cardiff two years ago, a police officer shared the terrifying experience of people throwing slate “like they were throwing frisbees.” The violence erupted following the tragic deaths of two teenage boys in Ely, leading to eight defendants facing charges of rioting in May 2023. PC Dan Rogers from South Wales Police recounted facing a burning mattress and being hit in the knee by a brick, describing the ordeal as “quite frightening.”

PC Rogers, stationed at Porth police station, Rhondda Cynon Taf, arrived at the scene following the declaration of “Operation Scorpion” by South Wales Police, prompting officers with advanced public order training to intervene. Initially, the officers wore baseball caps without riot helmets or shields but quickly donned flame-retardant suits as projectiles were hurled. The jury heard about a confrontational man in a tank top who was vocal and abusive, escalating tensions as police attempted to control the unruly crowd.

Amid the chaos, the

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