Citizens in Southport are cleaning up and fearing another riot.
After a fatal stabbing in Southport, initial mourning turns into attacks on a mosque and the police. Right-wing extremists appear to have traveled specifically for this purpose. Their anger was fueled by false reports, including those in Russian media. Citizens are now cleaning up the mess.
Southport, a coastal town in Britain, is in shock following a fatal stabbing of several children and anti-Muslim riots by right-wing extremists. Neighbors are jointly cleaning up the debris.
The police estimate that there were around 200 to 300 rioters who first threw bricks, trash cans, and street signs at a mosque and then at police officers. Four people have been arrested so far, with more arrests expected, according to Chief Constable Serena Kennedy of the Merseyside Police.
A burned-out police car was seen near the attacked mosque. 53 officers were injured in the riots, 8 severely - suffering broken bones, concussions, or lacerations. One officer was knocked unconscious. Three police dogs were also injured. Initially, 39 injuries were reported.
Local businessman Norman Wallis told the PA news agency that the rioters did not come from the area but traveled by bus and car to cause trouble. "The people of Southport are cleaning up this mess today," Wallis said.
Situation escalates quickly
Kennedy said her officers were "well-prepared" and had "sufficient resources." However, the number of rioters increased rapidly on Tuesday evening, causing the situation to "escalate very quickly."
The riots, which broke out after a peaceful vigil for the victims, were fueled by rumors and false reports about the identity of the suspected perpetrator. The 17-year-old is accused of stabbing three girls aged six, seven, and nine, and injuring eight other children and two adults. The motive is still unclear. Investigators have been granted more time to question the suspect.
Online reports suggested that the suspect was a Muslim asylum seeker with an Arabic name who had been under surveillance by British intelligence. Critics accused right-wing populist MP Nigel Farage, who played a key role in the Brexit campaign, of stoking tensions. The leader of the Reform UK party had speculated in a video posted on X that the authorities were hiding the "truth."
The police strongly denied these claims, which were also spread by a Russian state media outlet. They emphasized that the 17-year-old was born in Britain. The BBC reported that the teenager is the son of Rwandan parents and has lived in the Southport region for over ten years. The police believe it was a lone attacker and not a terrorist act.
Right-wing extremists travel for rioting
The attackers, after a vigil for the victims of the stabbing, threw bricks at both police officers and the local mosque, and looted a business, according to the police. They also set cars and trash cans on fire, according to official reports. Most of the rioters were members of the right-wing extremist English Defence League, according to the authorities.
Local MP Patrick Hurley told BBC Radio 4 that the rioters had exploited the bloodshed for their own political ends and attacked "the same first responders and the same police" who had stopped the attacker on Monday. The chairman of the mosque, Ibrahim Hussein, told reporters that he had been trapped in the building with eight community members and only escaped with a police escort.
The British government strongly condemned the riots. Rioters would face the full force of the law, promised new Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. People in Southport were "really concerned" about the possibility of further unrest. The police would continue to be supported by other regional units to ensure "that such a situation does not recur as it did last night."
"Those who hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and brutality have insulted the mourning community," stressed the Prime Minister at X. Starmer laid flowers at the scene. However, the Prime Minister, who has been in office for only a few weeks, was harassed by onlookers who demanded a tougher stance against migrants.
The escalation of violence in Southport resulted in anti-Muslim attacks on a mosque and police officers, as right-wing extremists exploited the tragic stabbing incident for their own agendas. Misleading information, such as the false reports in Russian media, further fueled their anger.
Upon discovering the burned-out police car and the injuries of 39 individuals, it became clear that the riots were not localized but orchestrated by traveling right-wing extremists, as indicated by local businessman Norman Wallis.
