A teenage girl queueing up to leave a football match in Cardiff got "pepper sprayed by police officers". Keira Jones, 17, had gone to watch the Cardiff City vs Bristol City football match on Saturday, October 28, with her dad when an incident occurred after the game.
South Wales Police state that several people have been arrested in connection with the disorder, but Keira claims fans who weren't involved in the incident were impacted by the pepper spray, including children. The force has apologised to those caught up, frightened, or inconvenienced by the event.
She said: “We came out and just stood in a line because all the Bristol fans had left first and they were making sure nothing kicked off between the two sides. There was one man who was just being wound up and he was pushing passed the police - that went on for about 10 minutes.
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“He was just kicking off, and they [the police] didn’t grab him or detain him, they kept pushing him back into the crowd. All of a sudden, it was as if someone had thrown water on my face - but obviously, it was pepper spray all over the crowd, like in a circle. So I moved out of the way of the crowd, further back, and my face started stinging.”
Within the chaos, Keira also saw a 12-year-old boy who had been sprayed in the eyes with pepper spray. She said: “I just grabbed hold of him and tried to figure out what do to. I was asking if anyone knew who he was with, or anything to help him. Then a couple grabbed him and took him up to [the] St John Ambulance [team].”
Luckily for Keira, it had “just missed” her eyes, but hit her face - just under her eye - down her jaw and chest. She added: “I closed my eyes quick enough, but that little boy didn’t.” She was given a bottle of water by the paramedics to rinse her skin from capsaicin - the same chemical that adds the characteristic heat to chili peppers - but said her skin was sore for over two hours after the incident, and she still had marks on her face the next day.
She added: "I wasn’t near the man who was kicking off, so it wasn’t like it bounced off of him. They [the police] did do the whole crowd, even though it was just him kicking off. I was really scared. When it happened, I had to move away from the crowds because I didn’t know what else was going to come flying. It was so scary. I was on the phone [to my mum] and just wanted to come home."
Her mum, Joanne Little, 49, said: “I was actually on FaceTime with Keira while this happened. It was scary seeing it happen and not being able to help her.”
A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: "Several people have been arrested in connection with disorder following the Cardiff City v Bristol City game on Saturday, October 28. We thank the law-abiding public for their patience during the police operation and apologise to those caught up, frightened, or inconvenienced, by events that took place.
"The overwhelming majority of football fans are well-behaved and passionate about their clubs. But whenever there is evidence of football-related disorder or violence we always pursue those responsible in order that appropriate action is taken. Further enquiries will now take place.
"We would ask anyone concerns or information about this matter, to please contact South Wales Police by one of the following means quoting refence number 2300231857. Live Chat https://www.south-wales.police.uk/. Contact us via https://bit.ly/SWPProvideInfo. Email swp101@south-wales.police.uk or call 101. Always call 999 in an emergency."
