Chaos erupted in Southport streets on Tuesday evening, just a day after a tragic knife attack killed three children. A large crowd clashed with police outside a mosque as riot vans and officers moved in to control the situation.
A group, believed to be supporters of the English Defence League, began chanting “English till I die” and “No surrender” as they clashed with police. Officers donned helmets and riot gear, facing a barrage of stones and bottles from the crowd. Several officers suffered minor injuries, with one sustaining a broken nose.
The mob set at least one police van on fire, and firecrackers were heard amidst the chaos. The violence followed a vigil attended by thousands to honor the victims: six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar.
The crowd, many wearing masks and hoodies, engaged in running battles with officers outside the Southport Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre. They hurled rubble and traffic cones at the police, shattering windows around 7:45 pm. The violence was fueled by false online claims that the suspect was an asylum seeker.
Merseyside Police urged the public not to speculate while the investigation continues. A 17-year-old boy from the nearby Lancashire village of Banks remains in custody, accused of murder and attempted murder. Local mosque groups condemned the violence, emphasizing unity and denouncing those spreading hatred.
Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss expressed shock at the violence, stating, “It is sickening to see this happening within a community that has been devastated by the tragic loss of three young lives.” He noted that many involved in the violence were not from the Merseyside area.
The violence left the streets of Southport strewn with debris, with cars set alight and shops looted. Hundreds of youths and men, alongside a large police presence, remained on the streets surrounding Hart Street, where the attack occurred.
The Prime Minister and the Home Secretary visited Southport earlier to pay their respects. Headteachers from the victims’ schools expressed their heartbreak and devastation at the loss.