A dad-of-two has described the moment rioters put through his windows and hurled bricks at him after torching his car as his terrified family cowered inside their home.
Adam Romain said there was “literally a riot” on the doorstep of his home in Mayhill, Swansea, after a “vigil” for someone who had died descended into violence on Thursday night.
According to one eyewitness around 200 people gathered in the disturbance, which took place at around 8pm.
Shocking footage shows crowds of people and cheering and filming as two cars are destroyed after being set on fire during the unrest.
One of the bricks hurled by yobs showered glass all over the cot where Adam's baby daughter takes afternoon and evening naps.
Was your property or car damaged during the riot? Email webnews@mirror.co.uk
Luckily she was not in her cot.
The relieved parent told Wales Online : “Thank the Lord that she wasn’t there when those bricks have come flying through. There are still bricks on the windowsill, glass everywhere."
Adam, an Uber Eats driver, was out when the riot began and raced home after his girlfriend called him.
He said: “I’ve had a phone call from my girlfriend saying that there was a riot essentially going on outside, cars being burnt. I understood that it was my car – it was all said very quickly.
“I shot back as quickly as I could – I was out doing deliveries. I came back as quick as I could and drove up right into the middle of it. About 100 lads throwing bricks, burning up cars.
"I stood here, put my motorbike inside the house, was trying to protect it, and was stood here trying to protect my home, my family, my children, and my missus was in the back hysterical, crying, scared to death.
“They’ve tried to light this car on fire. They’ve taken a bumper off another car and it’s been thrown in there and then they’ve run back up the hill. As soon as they’ve left I’ve gone outside and tried to stop it from catching fire.
“They started targeting me, started shouting at me and asking why I was doing that. I said I was just trying to protect my car – probably in hindsight a bad idea to tell them it was my car.
“I said: ‘I’m just trying to protect my car, I’m just trying to protect my family.’ And then they started targeting me, throwing the bricks at me, throwing them at the house.
"I’ve had to stand behind the door here and then they’ve come down and they’ve taken it in turns, one by one started throwing bricks directly at my door – straight through the house while I was standing there.
"My children were in the back absolutely traumatised. My boy is four years old, my baby is 16 months old – there’s no reason they should have been put through this.”
Police have said they believe the riot was sparked after the cars were vandalised, pushed down a road and others set ablaze.
Superintendent Tim Morgan, of South Wales Police, said: “What is believed to have started as a vigil to a recently-deceased local resident has escalated into violence, criminal damage, and a wanton disregard for public safety.”
He added: “Those involved can expect to face robust action. Post-incident investigations will also aim to identify all those concerned.”
Adam said: “Somebody said it was down to celebrating the memory of one of their friends. Well I have one message for all of you out there if you see this – this is not how you celebrate your friends. This is a dishonour to the memory of your friends.
“We’ve all lost people, we’ve all lost friends – especially the last year with all this Covid stuff. We’ve all lost people. But this is not how we celebrate them. Not by destroying other people’s lives. Not by rioting. Not by putting kids in danger and traumatising them for life. This is not how you do it. This is not how you honour your mates.
“You honour them by their life – by the good things they did and by the things you remember. You make banners. You take their name around the street. You let people remember their name – not this.
“Now what you’ve done is everyone associates the memory of your friend – and I’m sorry for your loss, I genuinely am – but now they are going to associate this with the memory of your friend. This is what you have done.
“Think boys. This is not what we do. We are a community here. You need to think about these things.”
