Durham Police condemn crowd who torched cars at A66 crash death vigil
The force condemned the behaviour of a crowd who had travelled to County Durham and torched the vehicles on a privately-owned field, as others in the group released balloons, flares, and fireworks.
Durham Constabulary said officers decided to let five cars burn out at a vigil for one of the men who died in the A66 crash.
The force condemned the behaviour of a crowd who had travelled to County Durham and torched the vehicles on a privately-owned field, as others in the group released balloons, flares, and fireworks.
Nobody was injured and no arrests were made.
The force said officers decided to let the cars burn because “the field was contained and it was assessed there was no immediate risk to wider public safety”.
Assistant Chief Constable Jon McAdam, of Durham Constabulary, said: “The behaviour we saw at last night’s gathering was completely unacceptable.
“Our officers and the communities of County Durham and Darlington were understandably horrified by the tragedy which unfolded on the A66 last week which resulted in multiple deaths, including two serving police officers.
“We utterly condemn anyone who would use that tragedy as an excuse for disorder and expect the overwhelming majority of the public would join us in doing so”.
Anna Turley, MP for Redcar, said the scenes of vehicles being driven dangerously across fields and then set alight at a vigil for one of the men who died in the A66 crash were “completely unacceptable”.
In a post on Facebook, Home Office minister Ms Turley said: “It puts lives at risk, places even more pressure on our already stretched emergency services and leaves residents frightened and angry in their own communities.
“After everything our area has endured over the past week, I will not accept this kind of behaviour becoming normalised.”
The minister said she had written to Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner asking for a zero-tolerance approach to dangerous and antisocial behaviour, and “for every appropriate power available to be used to protect our communities”.
She later thanked council leader Alec Brown for organising an “emergency meeting” on Friday.
Hundreds of extra police officers have been drafted in after a series of deadly incidents, starting with the head-on crash that killed two police officers and five young men on Saturday and a house fire which claimed the lives of a seven-year-old girl and her aunt on Wednesday.
Amid reports of other incidents, including a stabbing and properties being rammed, Labour MP for Middlesbrough and Thornaby East Andy McDonald described it as “terrorism”.
Mr McDonald made the comments as councillors revealed 200 extra police officers were helping under-pressure Cleveland Police staff, and before videos shared on social media appeared to show several cars on fire at a vigil in Haswell, County Durham, where balloons were released in tribute to one of the men killed in the A66 crash.
The extra officers have come from a number of forces, including the National Crime Agency, and are assisting as police continue to investigate the blaze in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough.
Police have not ruled out a link between the crash and the fatal house fire.
On Friday, a 21-year-old man arrested over the investigation into events leading up to the fatal A66 crash was charged with a drugs offence.
Mr McDonald told Times Radio: “People are saying that they are going to their shops and not feeling safe to do so and feeling trapped in their own homes.
“That is just unacceptable.
“This is terrorism and we’ve got to have an appropriate response to deal with the people who are causing such mayhem in our communities and to allow people to lead their peaceful lives.
“That isn’t happening. We need the resources.”
Mr McDonald earlier told BBC Radio 4 there appeared to be a “causal link with organised crime”.
On Thursday evening, videos shared on social media appeared to show several cars on fire in Haswell.
According to reports, the event was being held to remember A66 crash victim Michael Cahill, 23, with footage showing a large crowd gathering on grassland while cars could be seen skidding around the area.
Later on Thursday, more videos shared online appeared to show burnt-out cars being moved from the field, 20 miles north of the crash site, by a tractor.
On Friday, remnants of fireworks, smoke canisters and balloons were scattered around a field where cars had been torched, with scorch marks visible on the ground.
The cars have been removed but a section of a front bumper remained in place.