What happened in Southport's far-right night of violence?
Four people have been arrested over violent over riots in Southport that erupted following the killing of three girls in a knife attack at a dance school.
Disturbances overnight on Tuesday saw 53 officers and three police dogs injured, with 27 police officers taken to hospital.
Three men have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, and another on suspicion of affray and possession of a bladed article. A section 60 order, that gives police greater stop and search powers, has been out in place, as well as a section 34 measure that gives them powers to stop anti-social behaviour.
The rioting followed what police described as a "ferocious" stabbing attack in Southport on Monday at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club. The attack saw Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, fatally stabbed. Eight other children were also stabbed, with five children and two adults left in a critical condition.
The 17-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder over Monday's incident cannot be named for legal reasons.
Elsie's mother, Jenni Stancombe, pleaded for peace after violence erupted on Tuesday evening. It is believed the rioting started after a false rumour on the internet which was then stoked by misinformation from a Russian news site, which wrongfully associated the crime with Muslims.
Dozens of residents gathered outside Southport mosque on Wednesday to help clean up after it was targeted with bricks. Police said those involved in the unrest also set alight cars belonging to members of the public, damaged a local convenience store and set wheelie bins on fire.
Meanwhile, former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf has warned the UK of a "far-right problem" after Merseyside Police said those involved in the protest included supporters of the far-right English Defence League (EDL).
It comes after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was accused of “whipping up” rioters in a social media video.
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> Mother of stabbing victim pleads for end to violence
> Humza Yousaf calls for EDL to be hit by terrorism laws
> Nigel Farage branded 'Tommy Robinson in a suit’
> Community rallies together after riot in Southport
> Misinformation about suspect spreads on social
> Who are the EDL? Far right group believed to be behind riot
Mother of Southport stabbing victim pleads for end to violence
Following the unrest, Jenni Stancombe, the mother of seven-year-old victim Elsie, pleaded for an end to the violence which broke out after misinformation about the suspected knifeman was spread on social media.
She said: “This is the only thing that I will write, but please stop the violence in Southport tonight. The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don’t need this.”
Humza Yousaf calls for EDL to be hit by terrorism laws
The former first minister has today written to Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, to warn the UK has a "far-right problem" following shocking scenes in the coastal town on Merseyside on Tuesday.
Yousaf, the former SNP leader, wrote: "It is time we took on the English Defence League and the evil ideology that drives them."
“One of the immediate steps, in your gift as Home Secretary, is to proscribe the English Defence League, and their proxies, under the Terrorism Act 2000.”
Nigel Farage branded 'Tommy Robinson in a suit’
Nigel Farage has rejected criticism that comments he made online had “whipped up” rioters in Southport, as the Reform UK leader was branded “nothing better than Tommy Robinson in a suit”.
The newly-elected MP has come in for strong criticism, including from Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox.Rayner said Farage, as an MP, has “a level of responsibility”, “and it’s not to stoke up what conspiracy theories or what you think might have happened”.
Cox said Farage’s remarks were “right out of the Trump playbook”.
Community rallies together after riot in Southport
Dozens of residents were outside Southport mosque with brushes and shovels on Wednesday morning, after violent protests that saw bricks, stones and bottles thrown at police and cars set alight.
Norman Wallis, chief executive of Southport Pleasureland, said people had travelled from out of town to wreak havoc, leaving locals to clean up the mess.
Mosque chairman Ibrahim Hussein told reporters he was trapped in the mosque with about eight others as the violence erupted, and only escaped with a police guard.
A flood of misinformation about the Southport attack has been spread on numerous social media platforms by sources ranging from far-right activists to fake news websites and conspiracy theorists.
On Tuesday afternoon, home secretary Cooper urged the public to avoid “unhelpful” speculation about the attack.
The only details released about the suspect by police are that he is a 17-year-old from the village of Banks in Lancashire, who was born in Cardiff. But on Tuesday night a protest by hundreds of far-right activists, believed to be supporters of the EDL, saw missiles thrown at police and a local mosque attacked.
Who are the EDL? Far right group believed to be behind riot
In a statement on Tuesday night, Merseyside Police said they believed supporters of the English Defence League (EDL) were behind the disturbances.
The far-right group has a strong presence on social media, where leaders will mobilise supporters. It was once led by Tommy Robinson, with many members chanting his name during the events.
Here’s everything you need to know about the anti-Islam hate organisation.
