Hundreds at the funeral of a nine-year-old victim of the knife attack in Soutport
The child's coffin was transported in a white carriage drawn by two white horses adorned with feathers. Residents applauded as the funeral procession passed through the town's main street.
The ceremony was broadcast via speakers from inside the church - there were prayers and speeches, including one from the school's director, who Alice attended. Jinnie Payne described Alice through tears as a cheerful, curious girl who always made sure to play with all her friends, without excluding anyone. "You will always be in our hearts," the school principal said.
Following the attack during a dance class to the music of US pop star Taylor Swift on July 29, two girls aged six and seven, Bebe King and Elsie Dot Stancombe, initially died. Alice, nine, succumbed to her injuries a day later. Eight other children and two adults who came to the children's aid were also injured.
Bebe's parents, Lauren and Ben King, described how their world was shaken by the loss of their "precious daughter". "She was taken from us by an unimaginable act of violence that has broken our hearts," they said in a statement released by police on Saturday. Their older daughter, Genie, witnessed the attack and managed to escape.
Police arrested a 17-year-old born in Wales with parents from Rwanda. Misinformation about the suspect spread quickly on online networks.
The incident sparked a wave of far-right riots across the country, with attacks on mosques and refugee shelters.
Authorities deployed thousands of police officers and cracked down on rioters. So far, nearly 800 arrests have been made and about 300 charges filed. Several perpetrators have already been sentenced.
Authorities blame far-right rioters for the violence and accuse them of exploiting the tragic Southport incident for their anti-immigration, anti-Muslim agenda.
The grief-stricken parents of Bebe King, one of the victims, expressed their heartache in a statement. "Our precious daughter was taken from us in an unthinkable act of violence," they lamented.
As a result of the incident, eight other children and two adults were also classified as victims, requiring medical attention and support.
