Far-right protestors have descended on Southport, following a mass stabbing at a Swift-themed event.
The far-right protestors – believed to be supporters of the far-right English Defence League – took to the streets of Southport yesterday (July 30), where they clashed with police and disrupted a peaceful vigil held for the victims of a recent attack.
It comes after three children were killed in a knife attack that took place at a Swift-themed dance and yoga workshop on Hart Street on Monday (July 29). As reported by Sky News, three of the victims – six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar – sadly passed, while five other children and two adults remain in critical condition.
A 17-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in custody. According to police, he is originally from Cardiff and lived in the village of Banks close to Southport in Merseyside, England.
The stabbing is currently believed to be an isolated incident, and it is not being treated as terror-related. Police are not looking for other suspects in connection with the attack. However, the motivation for the incident is currently “unclear”.
To pay respects to the victims, a peaceful vigil was held in the seaside town, with hundreds arriving to lay wreaths, candles and toys in tribute to the three children who died in the attack.
Things soon turned violent, however, when the protestors took to the streets – throwing bricks at local mosques, clashing with police, setting cars alight and causing physical violence.
Rioters just set an industrial wheelie bin alight and rammed it at police riot shields. Officers charged back but then retreated. pic.twitter.com/ParTbxrTES
— Josh Halliday (@JoshHalliday) July 30, 2024
Officers “sustained serious injuries including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion,” Merseyside Police said (via CNN), and a number of police dogs were also hurt.
Police believe that the violence ensued over the unconfirmed reports of the identity of the suspect, who has “incorrectly” been named on social media.
“There has been much speculation and hypothesis around the status of a 17-year-old male who is currently in police custody, and some individuals are using this to bring violence and disorder to our streets,” Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss said.
“We have already said that the person arrested was born in the UK, and speculation helps nobody at this time.”
Goss also added that many of those involved in the violence were not local to the area, and are likely to have travelled to Southport with the intention of causing unrest.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) also weighed in on the recent events, paying tributes to the girls killed in the attack and highlighting how a “false rumour on the internet” has seen a rise in Islamophobia in the area.
Shocking scenes outside of a mosque in Southport, far-right gangs rioting, pelting stones and hurling Islamophobic abuse.
Incited by fake news stories circulating online about the perpetrator of the recent attacks, echoing the rhetoric of Tommy Robinson, they have now taken… https://t.co/VxA0vehBRE
— MCB (@MuslimCouncil) July 30, 2024
“Southport’s tragedy was shamelessly exploited to spark outrage, with Islamophobia fueling the fire and leading to tonight’s violence. This began with a false rumour on the internet, stoked by misinformation from a Russian news site, which wrongfully associated the crime with Muslims,” it said.
“[The government] must address the increasing rise of violent far-right extremism targeting Muslim communities. More must be done to tackle Islamophobia and offer reassurance at this time.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has commented on the incidents too, and described the protesters as having “hijacked” the peaceful vigil “with violence and thuggery”, as well as “insulted the community as it grieves” (via The Guardian).
He added that those involved “will feel the full force of the law.”
The people of Southport are reeling after the horror inflicted on them yesterday.
They deserve our support and our respect.
Those who have hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and thuggery have insulted the community as it grieves.
They will feel the full force…
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 30, 2024
Unsurprisingly, footage of the protestors has been quick to circulate online, with clips of the group ensuing violence in the area and clashing with police spreading on platforms such as X.
One that has particularly caught people’s attention is a video of one of the protestors being hit in the crotch by a rock as he walked away from a barricade of police officers. In the footage, police are seen standing in riot gear while items such as rocks and wheely bins are hurled at them. One protester in the midst of it all is seen getting hit in the head by an object thrown by the crowd, before turning around and getting hit in the crotch by a rock thrown.
Since being uploaded, it has already gathered over 40,000 ‘likes’ and received over 3.8million views. Check it out below.
Sorry but this is the funniest fash riot scene you’ll see, bar none. Hall of Famer. pic.twitter.com/WlKCPWDzSm
— Tim Brannigan (@tim_brannigan) July 30, 2024
Following news breaking of the tragic mass stabbing, Taylor Swift shared a handwritten statement addressing the attack on her Instagram Stories feed. “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock,” she wrote.
“The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
It was later confirmed that two Swift fans had launched a fundraiser to help raise funds for those affected by the tragedy and have so far raised over £120,000.
“We are working with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital to help raise money for the families affected by the tragedy in Southport, and raising funeral funds for the two young swifties who have tragically passed. Every donation through this link goes directly to the verified charity below, which will in turn help make a difference to those impacted in a time of great sadness,” read the description on the JustGiving page.
This is a developing story.
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