The British city of Southport is mourning after a fatal stabbing left three children dead and several others seriously injured. Following a vigil for the victims, far-right extremists incited violent riots.
During severe riots by far-right extremists after the fatal stabbing in Southport, 39 police officers were injured, with 27 requiring hospital treatment, according to the regional ambulance service on X (formerly Twitter).
Violence follows vigil
Police reported that the officers sustained bone fractures, cuts, a possible broken nose, and a concussion. A police car was set on fire, and a store was looted. Due to the unrest on Tuesday evening, the police were granted extended search powers in the area for 24 hours.
The attackers threw bricks at officers and the local mosque after a vigil for the stabbing victims and looted a store, police said.
Government condemns the riots
According to police, the rioters were mainly members of a far-right group from outside the area. “This is not how to treat a community, especially one still reeling from Monday’s events,” said Deputy Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Alex Goss.
The British government condemned the far-right group’s riots. “Those who hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and brutality have insulted the grieving community,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on X. “They will face the full force of the law.”
False reports following the stabbing
On Monday, three girls aged six, seven, and nine were killed in a stabbing attack. Eight other children and two adults were seriously injured. The children were attending a holiday camp themed around Taylor Swift. A 17-year-old suspect is in custody. The motive remains unclear, but police do not believe it to be a terrorist act.
Police attributed the unrest to false reports and rumors about the suspect’s background. “We have already stated that the person was born in the UK, and speculation is helping no one at this time,” the investigators emphasized. The suspect, the son of Rwandans, was born in Cardiff, Wales, and has lived in the area for over ten years.
