Unrest broke out late on Tuesday evening when a group of people gathered outside a mosque, directly after a manifestation for the victims of the knife attack had been held. Cobblestones were thrown at the mosque and at police officers, and a police car was set on fire.
22 police officers were injured in the unrest, eight of whom suffered more serious injuries such as fractures and concussions. Two police dogs were also injured by cobblestones and one suffered burn injuries.
The Police: Much Speculation
According to the police, the rioters are believed to be part of a right-wing extremist group – and the unrest is believed to have been inspired by rumors about the identity of the teenager who was arrested, suspected of the knife attack.
There has been much speculation about the 17-year-old boy who is currently being detained by the police, which some individuals are using to spread violence and chaos on our streets, said Alex Goss, police chief in the Merseyside area, which includes Southport.
The police have previously rejected claims that have circulated online that the suspected boy was an asylum seeker, and stated that he was born in the UK. They have also said that a name that has been spread and claimed to be the name of the suspect is incorrect.
"A minority of people are trying to present this as if this despicable act is somehow related to the Muslim community. It is not, and we must not let those who are trying to sow division and spread hatred use this", writes the organization Liverpool region mosque network on X.
Three Girls Dead
Even Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the riots and said that the crowd had hijacked what had previously been a peaceful memorial service to mourn the victims of the knife attack.
It was on Monday that the perpetrator attacked a dance and yoga event with a Taylor Swift theme for children. Three girls aged six to nine years old died, and another eight were injured, with five of them in critical condition. Two adults were also injured.
