Far-right protesters, fueled by anger and false online rumors, clashed with police outside a mosque in northwest England on Tuesday. This violence, followed by the Southport stabbing incident that claimed the lives of three girls a day earlier, resulted in over 20 officers being injured.
According to the police, English Defence League supporters threw bottles and stones at them, set fire to a police van, and damaged several cars. The violence escalated when rumors spread that the young suspect was a refugee seeker, which was not true. The Southport knife attack triggered these violent protests and attacks on police.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the violence “thuggery.” He remarked that the turmoil overshadowed a somber tribute honoring the deaths and helping the 10 stabbing survivors, some of whom are in serious condition.
Merseyside Police clarified that the suspect’s name circulating online was incorrect and that he is British, not an asylum seeker as rumored.
The Liverpool Region Mosque Network condemned the killing, stating it had no connection to Islam. “A minority of people are attempting to portray that this inhumane act is somehow related to the Muslim community,” the group declared on social media. “Frankly it is not, and we must not let those who seek to divide us and spread hatred use this as an opportunity.”
Police arrived to find a chaotic scene with rioters yelling and setting off fireworks. Injuries included broken bones, cuts, and burns, and rioters also hurt two police dogs.
After the Southport stabbing incident, protesters assaulted the police, highlighting concerns about knife crime in the UK. Authorities arrested the 17-year-old suspect soon after the incident.This shows the severity of violent fatalities and the difficulty of averting them.
