Violence erupts in Southport after child killings

Violent protests broke out in Southport on Tuesday night as hundreds of demonstrators clashed with police following the deadly knife attack on children attending a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.

A mob gathered outside a mosque, hurling bricks, masonry and fireworks at officers, amid claims that police were not telling the truth about the suspect’s background and his motives, with rumours swirling on social media.

Smoke was seen billowing from the area after a police van was set on fire.

A total of 53 officers were injured, of which 49 were Merseyside Police and four were Lancashire Police. Eight sustained serious injuries including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion and were treated in hospital.

Other officers suffered varying degrees of injury including head injuries, serious facial injuries and one was knocked unconscious.

Four men were arrested and taken into custody, three on suspicion of violent disorder and one on suspicion of affray and possession of a bladed article.

Three police dogs were also wounded, with one suffering burns to her back leg.

The Prime Minister on Tuesday night said: “The people of Southport are reeling after the horror inflicted on them.

“They deserve our support and our respect. Those who have hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and thuggery have insulted the community as it grieves. They will feel the full force of the law.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also condemned the violence and said “those responsible will face the full force of the law”.

The violence came after a vigil to remember the three girls who were killed in the attack, identified yesterday as six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar, took place nearby.

Just hours earlier, Ms Cooper warned that divisions were being stirred up in the wake of the attack.

There has been mounting speculation online about the identity of the attacker and the motive behind his rampage.

Merseyside Police described Tuesday night’s scenes as “sickening” and said people were using the speculation about the attack to “bring violence and disorder to our streets”.

Section 60 and Section 34 Orders were put in place at 7.54pm on Tuesday, giving officers enhanced stop and search powers throughout the Southport area for 24 hours, in a bid to control the chaos.

Police said officers who had already completed a shift on Tuesday returned to duty to help colleagues deal with the protests.

“I am so proud to have witnessed off-duty officers (many of whom had not long finished a full shift) parade back on duty to support their colleagues who had displayed such courage whilst under constant and sustained attack,” Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss said.

“Sadly, offenders have destroyed garden walls so they could use the bricks to attack our officers and have set cars belonging to the public on fire, and damaged cars parked in the Mosque car park.

“This is no way to treat a community, least of all a community that is still reeling from the events of Monday.”

Police have appealed for anyone with information or video footage of those involved in the violence to come forward.

Rumours rife

Russian state media were among those falsely identifying the suspect as an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat last year and sharing claims that he was on an MI6 watch list and was known to local mental health services.

Unsubstantiated claims that the attacker shouted “Allahu Akbar” have also circulated on social media.

In a statement to the Commons, Ms Cooper said those peddling misinformation about the tragedy risked undermining the ongoing criminal investigation and were being disrespectful to the grieving families.

However, her statement did not rule out that the investigation could become a terror inquiry.

Downing Street also appealed for calm after Sir Keir Starmer was heckled during a visit to Southport, with some protesters accusing the police of covering up aspects of the case.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, said the heckling of the Prime Minister demonstrated how unhappy the public were with the state of law and order in the country.

He said important questions about the case remained, including whether there was any truth in suggestions that the suspect was on a security services watch list and whether it was terror-related.

In a video statement, Mr Farage said: “I just wonder whether the truth is being withheld from us. I don’t know the answer, but I think it is a fair and legitimate question. What I do know is that something is going horribly wrong in our once beautiful country.”

Merseyside Police officers are continuing to question a 17-year-old on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in connection with the attack.

It is understood that although police are not treating the attack as terror-related, it has not been ruled out. Counter-terror police are continuing to support the investigation.

Ms Cooper’s statement raised the prospect that the investigation could become a terror inquiry. She said the authorities would examine what contact the suspect had with “different agencies”, which could include the security services and police, as well as mental health services.

The Home Secretary also made reference to Martyn’s Law, legislation about the safety of public venues that was proposed following the Manchester Arena terror attack in 2017, saying the Southport case would no doubt feature in the debates over the measure.

A source said: “Terror has not been entirely ruled out at this point. We recognise that it can go in any direction. All agencies are still involved, including counter-terror police. They are not leading the investigation, and it is not being treated as a terror incident, but they are still on hand. We don’t want to categorically rule anything out.”

Russia Today cited claims by a website called Channel 3 Now that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat last year and was on an MI6 watch list. The Russian state-controlled television channel later updated its story to reflect that the claim had been retracted.

Channel 3 Now claims to be a US-based website, although its Facebook page showed that it is partly managed from Pakistan, while its YouTube channel contains dozens of Russian-language videos.

With an incorrect name of the alleged attacker being shared widely online, Merseyside Police was forced to issue a statement.

A spokesman for the force said: “This name is incorrect, and we would urge people not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing.”

Speaking about the violent protests on Tuesday night, Mr Goss, the Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable, said:  “There has been much speculation and hypothesis around the status of a 17-year-old male who is currently in police custody, and some individuals are using this to bring violence and disorder to our streets.

“We have already said that the person arrested was born in the UK, and speculation helps nobody at this time. Our officers should not have to face this, but we will be there tonight to ensure the safety of the local community who have suffered enough, and will arrest those involved in criminal behaviour.”

The teenager being questioned by police cannot be named because of his age, but was born in Cardiff in 2007. It is understood his parents came to the UK from Rwanda in 2002.

Ms Cooper urged people to avoid speculating on the case and allow the police to get on with their job.

She told MPs: “False information has already been extensively shared in the last 24 hours. Those who do this for their own purposes risk undermining a crucial criminal investigation, and I ask everyone to show some respect for the community in Southport and for families who are grieving and in trauma.

“In these dark and difficult moments, the police must be able to get on with their work and communities must be given the time and space to grieve and heal without outside voices seeking to use events to stir up division or advance their own views.”

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “People should listen to the police – they should not do anything that is going to make the police’s job harder to manage the situation, to conduct their investigations. It is unhelpful to speculate on things like the motive and the circumstances around this.”

Steve Rotheram, the Mayor of Liverpool City Region, said: “I don’t understand that people want to weaponise the deaths of three children before the investigations have concluded.”

James Cleverly, the shadow home secretary, called for people not to “get involved in the grief of others” by sharing misinformation relating to the attack on social media.

Mr Goss added: “It is sickening to see this happening within a community that has been devastated by the tragic loss of three young lives.

“In the last 24 hours, we have seen overwhelming support and sympathy from the community and wider Merseyside communities for the families who are currently trying to deal with their loss and care for victims injured during the major incident.

“Yesterday, our officers and other members of the emergency services were faced with one of the most difficult situations they will ever face. Tonight, they find themselves being attacked as they endeavour to prevent disorder.

“The actions in Southport tonight will involve many people who do not live in the Merseyside area or care about the people of Merseyside.”