A vigil for a 16-year-old boy killed in a motorbike crash has descended into chaos as police were pelted with fireworks and cars were set on fire.
The teenager died at the scene in Morpeth, Northumberland, after his Yamaha motorbike collided with a Volkswagen Polo on August 24.
A 24-year-old boy, who was also on the motorbike, was rushed to hospital with serious injuries.
Last night as dozens of family and friends gathered to honor the teenager’s death at a sports field in Cramlington, chaos ensued as flares were let off and police were pelted with fireworks.
The scenes were similar to those which provoked anger in Middlesbrough last week, when vigils held for five teenagers killed in a chase that killed two officers descended into chaos.
Those vigils sparked claims that crime is out of control in the north-eastern town as intimidatory tactics such as setting cars on fire were used to ‘remember’ the deceased.
As mourners gathered to honour the teenaged motorbike rider in Cramlington with a balloons release on Tuesday, footage shared to social media showed a pack of joyriders speeding across the field and down residential streets.
Youths, some donning balaclavas, could also been seen letting off flares and seemingly using their bikes to damage the park’s turf.
Meanwhile, in separate clips, a fire was raging after a car appeared to have been set ablaze just yards from residential homes. Police officers were also pelted with fireworks.
Footage of the mayhem was shared to Instagram and Snapchat, with one of the captions reading: ‘Keeping it lit up there cuz’ alongside the hashtags #gonebutneverforgotten and #forever16.
A balloon release for a 16-year-old boy killed in a motorbike crash has descended into chaos
‘We kept it lit for you today bro,’ one of the clips shared on TikTok was captioned
Dozens of masked youths on bikes took to the streets of Cramlington following the vigil
‘Rest easy me boy gone way too soon, this world’s evil,’ it continued.
‘[You’re] probably on the back wheel still riding.’
Northumbria Police sent a number of units to the scene, including a drone team.
Officers seized four Sur-Ron electric bikes and issued warnings around vehicles being used to cause anti-social behaviour. There were, however, no reports of any injuries.
Police said in a statement: ‘A number of those who attended were on electric motorbikes, motorcycles, and quad bikes, and officers saw a spike in anti-social behaviour reports in the area both before and after a planned balloon release.
‘Police also received reports that one vehicle was set on fire and fireworks were thrown at officers.’
It comes after a spate of similar incidents in Middlesbrough, which began after five ‘joyriders’ died in a crash with a police car on the A66.
Friends and family of 23-year-old Jakub Matusiak, one of those killed, gathered just yards from the scene of the crash in the town’s South Bank region to honour him.
But what began as a balloon release quickly descended into a confusion of smoke and noise when attendees lit up the sky with flares and rockets.
A gang of around 20 masked youths on motorbikes and quad bikes roared around the field in honour of Matusiak, who himself had convictions for motoring offences.
The youths’ get-together came in stark contrast to that held at a nearby church on the same week in honour of PC Tom Clough and PC Matthew Blades, who were also tragically killed in the collision.
The officers’ friends and family had gathered at St John The Evangelist Church to pay tribute to the men.
Among them was Redcar’s Labour MP Anna Turley, who said: ‘I thought it was really important to come together. I was really pleased that the church has opened themselves up for the community to come together, because it’s such a devastating incident.
‘The whole community here is reeling, and we’ve lost lives, particularly those lives of brave police officers who are out in action to keep us safe. It’s a tragic incident.’
The horrific crash occurred when a Volkswagen Passat crashed head-on with a police car travelling in the opposite direction shortly after 3.30am on August 22.
Police said four Sur-Ron electric bikes were seized following ‘a spike in anti-social behaviour’
Hordes of masked riders were seen tearing across a sports field in Cramlington on Monday
Police received reports a vehicle was set on fire and fireworks were thrown at officers
The five boys in the Passat were Michael Robert Cahill, 23, Jakub Matusiak, 23, Makai Saddington, 18, and 17-year-olds Theo Rae and Cole Robert Worthy.
At Cahill’s vigil on August 27, a mob of youths torched several cars and set off fireworks in a horse field near Haswell, County Durham.
It came as a wave of violence erupted across Middlesbrough, with former mayor Andy Preston admitting the town had been ‘left on its knees’.
Of Tuesday’s vigil in Northumbria, Superintendent Michelle Robson said: ‘We understand that people will want to come together to remember those who have died, and we ask that they do so safely, respectfully and within the law.
‘Where such events are used as an opportunity to carry out offences, we are committed to taking action against those responsible.
‘We are conducting a thorough investigation to identify those involved in the unacceptable behaviour.’
Officers are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage from the disorder.
