Summary of complaint
We have received complaints from people who felt our coverage of recent events in Ely, Cardiff, has been biased against the police.
Our response
Throughout our reporting we have sought to establish the events that led up to the deaths of two teenage boys in a road traffic accident in Ely on 22 May, and why this tragedy led to riots in the local area.
We have detailed that allegations spread rapidly on social media that a police van had been chasing the boys before their deaths and that several hours of violence followed.
We have reported on the shock and anger of those who lived on the streets where several cars had been set alight during the disorder and that Downing Street had called the scenes βappalling and completely unacceptableβ. We also indicated that up to 150 people had been involved and 12 police officers had been injured in the disorder, as rioters threw fireworks, paving stones and debris at the police.
South Wales Police initially stated that they were not involved in the incident, but later confirmed that they had been following the boys after CCTV footage β which was analysed by ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Verify - showed a police van following the boys. We have reported that the police watchdog, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), has announced it will independently investigate the incident.
We believe we have reported with due care and impartiality, establishing and verifying facts, while also stressing that circumstances behind the accident remain unclear.