Mayhill riot: Swansea community rallies together after violence

Cars were torched in the violent disorder in Mayhill, Swansea, in May

Rioting in Swansea seven months ago has prompted a community to rally around each other, residents have said.

Cars were burnt out and windows smashed in Mayhill after a vigil to a young man who had died turned violent on 20 May.

A total of 37 people have been arrested but no-one has yet been charged.

An independent review into the background of the violence and whether lessons can be learned is due to report back in the coming weeks.

Seven months on from the rioting and in the days before Christmas, dozens of volunteers distributed festive food hampers from the Phoenix Centre in nearby Townhill.

• What is the history of Mayhill?

• Rioters 'smashed through my windows and door'

• What's behind south Wales' spate of violence?

Among the helpers was 13-year-old Sebastian, who said he thought the May rioting was not representative of the area.

Sebastian, 13, says the violence last May does not represent what Mayhill is really like

"I was shocked when I saw the pictures on Facebook and social media," he said.

"It wasn't the same place I know, it was really different, because in the community it is happy, you know everyone's meeting and greeting you."

'We are a strong community'

Townhill and Mayhill have seen "massive improvements" over the years, says resident Leanne Dower

Leanne Dower, manager of the Phoenix Centre, said she was particularly proud of how the community rallied around in the aftermath of the devastation.

"I've got to be honest, I thought it was disgusting what went on down there," she said.

"I was proud waking up the morning after the riot, the way that the community came together to help one another, we didn't take it lying down.

"It happened, we can't change what happened, but it highlighted we are a strong community."

Ms Dower, who has lived in the area all her life, said there have been "massive improvements" in Townhill and Mayhill over the years.

The centre she runs is a community enterprise which has a library, cafe and an all-weather pitch.

"The reputation of Townhill and Mayhill can be awful, but I would encourage anybody to actually come here," she added.

The Mayhill street looked "like a war zone", one of the residents said

Concrete barriers were installed on Waun-wen Road following the rioting

'In no way, shape or form does it reflect Mayhill'

Resident Chris Norman said the violent rioting was "very much an isolated incident" but admitted lessons should be learnt and the community must move on.

"It was terrible to watch people behave like that," he said.

"I don't know whether it's a mixture of the pandemic or everything, but you know, youth services have been cut massively over the years and there's a great need for that.

"But in no way, shape or form does it reflect the Mayhill community because we don't treat our members of the community in that way."

Mount Pleasant resident Angharad Jenkins says she hopes crime and deprivation will be tackled

Angharad Jenkins, who lives in nearby Mount Pleasant, said she hoped the violence served as a wake up call to politicians to start tackling issues in the area, including crime and deprivation.

"It's not something that you can change overnight," she said.

"But if the improvements can start to be made, then hopefully, over years, it will become a better place for people to live."

Welsh government minister Julie James, who represents Swansea West, described the riots as "very scary".

"As always, the community immediately came together afterwards," she added.

"There were people out with brushes and cups of tea and sandwiches and people offering to board up the windows that were broken and so on."

Swansea West Member of the Senedd Julie James described the community as "close-knit"

She added that the "close-knit community" were out helping with the clean-up before the council even arrived.

"I can tell you that that community came together like never before the day after and they've done it again now at Christmas, so you know, that's not what this community is about," she said.

Ms James said she understood a report into the riot had been given to the Welsh government, police and the council, which will investigate what went wrong on 20 May.

South Wales Police said files have been submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and it was awaiting decisions on whether to charge those people who had been arrested.