- 39 officers injured in rioting after fatal attack
Southport in Shock After Fatal Stabbing of Children and Far-Right Riots
The British coastal town of Southport is in shock following a fatal stabbing of several children and far-right riots. Some streets resembled a war zone in the morning as rioters near a mosque attacked police with bricks, trash cans, and street signs. A burnt-out police car was seen. 39 officers were injured, with 27 requiring hospital treatment.
Motive for Bloodshed Unclear
The violent riots, which broke out after a peaceful vigil for the victims, were fueled by rumors and false reports about the suspected attacker's identity. The 17-year-old is accused of stabbing three girls aged six, seven, and nine to death and injuring eight other children and two adults. The motive remains unclear.
Online reports suggested the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker with an Arabic-sounding name who had been monitored by British intelligence. Critics accused right-wing politician Nigel Farage, who played a key role in Brexit, of stoking tensions. The leader of Reform UK had speculated in a video posted on X that authorities were hiding the truth.
Police Dismiss Online Speculation
Police dismissed the claims, which were also spread by a Russian state media outlet. The 17-year-old was born in the UK, they stressed. The BBC reported that the teenager is the son of Rwandan parents and has lived in the Southport region for over a decade. Police believe it was a lone attacker and not a terrorist act.
The attackers threw bricks at both police and the local mosque after a vigil for the stabbing victims, according to police. They also looted a business and set cars and trash cans on fire. Most of the rioters were members of a far-right group who had traveled to Southport, according to authorities.
"These were thugs who came by train, not locals," local MP Patrick Hurley told BBC Radio 4. They exploited the bloodshed for their own political ends and attacked "the same first responders and police" who stopped the attacker on Monday.
Vigil "Hijacked"
The UK government condemned the riots. New Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper warned that rioters would face the full force of the law.
"The thugs who hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and brutality have insulted the grieving community," Starmer said on X. He laid flowers at the scene, but was heckled by onlookers demanding tougher action against migrants.
Injured officers suffered broken bones, cuts, a suspected broken nose, and a concussion, police said. Three police dogs were also injured.
"This is no way to treat a community, especially one still reeling from Monday's events," said Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Alex Goss. Police have been granted extended powers to stop and search people in the area for 24 hours.
The police had to intervene multiple times to prevent the rioters from attacking the local mosque. Despite online speculations, the accused stabber is a British-born individual, as confirmed by the police.
