Bute Park: Hundreds march against vandalism at Cardiff beauty spot

The march was held in response to a night of vandalism at the park, which left a mile-long trail of destruction

Hundreds of people took part in a march through Cardiff's city centre park on Saturday, following vandalism which left a mile-long trail of destruction.

The Reclaim Bute Park mass walk and community picnic was organised in response to an attack on the night of 9 September.

The attack saw memorial trees sawn and snapped, plants uprooted, several fires and utility cables damaged.

People gathered after the march for a picnic and to listen to live music.

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Melissa Boothman, from the park's Secret Garden cafe, who organised the event, described it as a "positive counter action", with people "united against the hate and vandalism carried out on Bute Park".

She said it was "a friendly show of solidarity and resistance", following the route of the damage.

A community picnic with live music after the march created a "carnival feel"

More events are planned including a "restore and rebuild event", the planting of new trees and a "festival of Bute Park".

A fundraising JustGiving page will also be set up to pay for replanting and restoration works.

'Why would you saw down trees?'

Roz Adams said the march proved "there's more good people than bad"

Roz Adams, who attended the march, said: "I was really upset when I heard about the park being vandalised and I wanted to show support for it because I really love it.

"It was really great and the turnout was amazing, the drumming band was great - it was really fun."

She added the community had been shocked by the "needless" vandalism.

"Why would you do that? Why would you block drains? Why would you saw down trees?"

But she added seeing so many turn out in support of the park had shown her "there's more good people than bad".

Dora Furnival and James Horne with two of the placards marchers carried through the park

Dora Furnival said Bute Park had been a precious space for the people of Cardiff during the coronavirus pandemic.

"Over the last 18 months it has been a space for people to come, people that don't have gardens... it's at the heart of Cardiff, it's this huge, green space and it's used by so many people," said Ms Furnival.

She added that Cardiff was "no stranger to a bit of drunk vandalism", but that this had been a "group of people with knives and saws... an aggressive, quite violent attack on the heart of Cardiff".

"Bute Park will always belong to the people of Cardiff and it will always be a space for positivity."

James Horne said it was "devastating" to hear of the "malicious" attack on the city's precious green space, especially amid current concern about wildlife and the environment.

"It wasn't drunks going through, snapping branches off. It was a thought-out, planned attack. We still can't get our heads around it."