Merseyside Police have made four arrests after violent disorder broke out on the streets of Southport, with far-right protesters throwing bricks and bottles outside a mosque.
It comes as the force is given more time to question the suspect in the Southport knife attack in which three young girls were killed and eight more children injured at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
The 17-year-old, who is from Lancashire and was born in Cardiff but has not been named because of his age, remains in custody having been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Police can apply to hold a suspect in serious cases for up to 96 hours without charge.
Meanwhile, members of the community in Southport have been clearing up after suspected far-right supporters rioted and attacked a mosque following a peaceful vigil for the young victims of the brutal knife attack.
Police accused individuals who do not live in Merseyside or care about its people for using lies and disinformation around the suspect’s identity “to bring violence and disorder to our streets”, in which paramedics said 39 police officers were injured.
Have you been affected by this incident? Email athena.stavrou@independent.co.uk
Key Points
- Community clears up after suspected far-right riot in Southport
- Nigel Farage denies ‘whipping up’ anger in Southport
- Merseyside Police granted more time to question knife attack suspect
- Three young victims of knife attack named as others in critical condition
- ‘These were just little kids at a dance class’: Taylor Swift releases moving statement
Fears of more far-right riots after thugs hijack horrific Southport stabbing
18:25
Holly Evans
Police are braced for more violence after far-right protesters hijacked the tragic murders of three schoolgirls in Southport to launch riots which left 50 officers injured.
Far-right thugs were accused of using the horrific stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class to “whip up hatred” as misinformation about the identity of the suspected knifeman spread like wildfire on social media.
There have been calls for the government to come down hard on those spreading misleading information as Merseyside Police called in support from other forces amid fears of further action.
Read the full article here from our crime correspondent Amy-Clare Martin:
Met Police place conditions on Downing Street protest
18:04
Holly Evans
The Met police have placed conditions on a protest taking place outside Downing Street in the wake of the murders and subsequent riots in Southport.
Demonstrators taking part in the Enough Is Enough protest have to stay within a certain area and must leave at 8.30pm, the force said.
The event was promoted by actor Laurence Fox on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday.
Superintendent Neil Holyoak, who is leading the policing of the protest, said: “Following the tragic events in Southport, it is understandable the public have strong feelings about this shocking incident – but the subsequent violent, unlawful disorder that unfolded was completely unacceptable and driven by misinformation.
“Everyone has a right to protest and we continue to balance the right to lawful protest with everyone’s right to go about their lives without fear or serious disruption – which is why we have put conditions in place and deployed more officers across London.
“We are speaking to the protest organisers as well as local community groups, businesses and religious leaders, in particular the Muslim community who have been impacted by this week’s disorder in Southport.
“I urge everyone to exercise their right to protest calmly and within the law. Any disorder will be dealt with swiftly.”
Policing minister calls for rioters to be held to account
17:41
Holly Evans
Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson has said the “thugs and hooligans” involved in violence in Southport “must be held to account for their actions”.
Dame Diana wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “This is shocking to hear from a chief constable that so many of her officers were injured in the line of duty last night.
“The thugs and hooligans involved must be held to account for their actions on the streets of Southport yesterday.”
The Home Office minister had shared a video clip featuring Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy, who told broadcasters that officers who dealt with riots on Tuesday were “some of the first responders who attended that awful scene on Monday and then were faced with that level of violence”.
This is shocking to hear from a Chief Constable that so many of her officers were injured in the line of duty last night. The thugs and hooligans involved must be held to account for their actions on the streets of Southport yesterday. https://t.co/GtVsPLfgRs
— Diana Johnson DBE MP (@DianaJohnsonMP) July 31, 2024
Former security minister raises concerns Putin behind Southport far right disinformation
17:29
Holly Evans
Former security minister Stephen McPartland has suggested Russia could be behind a social media misinformation campaign which led to appalling secenes in Southport on Wednesday night as protesters rioted.
It comes as sources in the Home Office have told The Independent that an investigation is being carried out on the origin of social media posts which fuelled the angry disturbance in the town.
Security sources have pointed out that both China and Russia have large teams and netowrks working on disinformation campaigns which fuel social division and violence in the UK and other western democracies.
Read the full article here:
Local who was punched by rioters says they have ‘alienated’ the community
17:15
Barney Davis
Michael Johnson, who lives by the mosque, was punched in the face by a member of the far right after they tried to rip up loose bits of concrete from his front patio.
He was labelled “a grass” and a “nonce” when he stopped them from stepping onto his property. He said he saw the rioters changing clothing to remain undetected and said neighbours had seen them passing lighter fluid in bottles to eachother before the police van was set ablaze.
After being given a “sucker punch” upper cut by one of the rioters, he has a message to the EDL: “Who have you helped with anything? You’ve alienated all the people we like you’ve destroyed all our properties, you’ve set fire to cars you’ve traumatised kids on top of what they had to deal with the other day.
“There were gangs getting changed into extra clothing they had other things to wear they know what they are doing. They get photographed then get changed and have another go.
“What really boils me is that round here we get on. We have no aminosity towards our Muslim friends or our Sri Lankan friends, everybody is a mix. But they came here last night and made it seem like everyone is against everyone. They have spoilt it for everybody.”
Business owner raises over £2k to support looted business
17:00
Holly Evans
A Southport business owner whose shop is located across the road from a local store which was raided on Tuesday has helped raise more than £2,000 to support them.
Rose Tucker, 32, runs a beauty salon on Sussex Road and started a GoFundMe to support Windsor Mini Mart owner, Chanaka Balasuryla, who is of Sri Lankan background, after his shop was looted of alcohol and cigarettes during an outbreak of violence.
“Another shop next to us has had a window smashed, but nothing as deliberate as the Mini Mart, I don’t think,” she told the PA news agency.
Ms Tucker hopes the fundraiser, which has raised more than £2,000 of its £10,000 target, will provide a sense of “reassurance” for the family adding: “We love having this diverse community and we’re going to keep it that way. We do not condone any of (the riots), I think it’s barbaric.
“(Raising money) just seems like the right thing to do. They’ve had an absolutely horrific experience, so I want to help them as much as I can.”
How peaceful vigil for tragic loss of three young lives descended into violent riots in Southport
16:49
Holly Evans
Southport should have been a town in mourning after the tragic loss of three young lives in horrific circumstances – instead, a peaceful vigil on Tuesday later descended into chaos as violent riots broke out on the streets.
Hours before the moving remembrance service, Merseyside Police confirmed that a third girl had been killed in the “ferocious” knife attack at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Hart Street.
Shortly after, the force named the victims as Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, who were pronounced dead shortly after Monday’s rampage, while Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died from her injuries in hospital on Tuesday.
Read the full article from Tara Cobham here:
GoFundMe to restore ‘safe space’ for Muslim community raises over £1k
16:32
Holly Evans
A Southport resident has started a GoFundMe raising nearly £1,000 to help “restore the safe space” of Muslims after the local mosque was vandalised during raids in the area on Tuesday.
Phoenix Lawson, 20, said: “It is the only mosque in Southport. It is the only place they can pray peacefully and it’s just been destroyed unfortunately.”
“I was informed that three panels of the window of the mosque was destroyed and smashed in, and also the brick wall outside was completely demolished.
“It’s a very unsafe environment for a lot of Muslims now. Friday prayer is two days away and there’s been a massive raid outside the mosque. I don’t think they’re going to want to go there as of now.”
She added the stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club on Monday and the riots a day later has been a “big shock” for the Southport community.
“It’s scary. Everything is quiet in Southport nothing really goes on here. You don’t really care about nighttime or robberies but to have three murders and then massive riots to happen in space in two days is a big shock,” she said.
All we know about Southport stabbing suspect and why he has not been named
16:24
Holly Evans
Since the tragic stabbing that claimed the lives of three children unfolded on Monday, mounting questions have emerged as to the identity of the knifeman.
In what has been described as one of the darkest days in the Merseyside town’s history, several young children were attacked while attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, with five still in critical condition in hospital.
Two adults, believed to have been injured while bravely attempting to stop the attacker, remain in a similar state, with the seaside town reeling in shock.
Read the full article here:
Full Fact’s chief executive responds to the recent unrest in Southport fuelled by disinformation
16:09
Holly Evans
Chris Morris, Chief Executive of Full Fact, said: “In Southport we saw the horrific consequences of online misinformation spilling into the real world. It’s a terrible reminder that everyone in society needs the tools to identify and challenge falsehoods.
“Internet companies must react faster and more comprehensively to stop the spread of misinformation on their platforms before it can cause devastating harm. That is a significant challenge while the Online Safety Act barely scratches the surface of online misinformation.
“The Government needs to examine how it should regulate and support the sector to build better defences. Our laws need to reflect the reality that misinformation is a frontline threat to community safety that ruins lives.”
Three police dogs injured in ‘wanton violence and destruction’
15:52
Holly Evans
Merseyside police said garden walls were broken down by protesters who threw the bricks at officers and the local mosque. Cars and wheelie bins were set alight, and a convenience store looted, as well as three police dogs injured.
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.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “The wanton violence and destruction we saw is the very last thing the people of Southport need having been rocked by the awful events of Monday. The disrespect toward grieving families and the community is despicable, and I want to reassure residents in Southport that we will have a significantly increased police presence in the town in the coming days.”
The force appealed for anyone with information about or footage of those involved in the unrest to come forward.
Owner of shop raided in riots barricading business before feared far-right return
15:44
Barney Davis, in Southport
Chanaka Balasuriya has run Windsor Mini Mart round the corner from the Mosque for four years after moving his young family to Southport from London.
He was working fast barricading up his family run business where he lives with his children after thugs smashed their way in and looted the corner store.
He told The Independent: “At the moment they are in the police station on Facebook saying they will be back.
“The helicopters are up which means they could be marching this way. I hope we have enough protection this time from police. We asked them and they said they have enough resources.
“It was scary I have my kids with me here. We’re trying to board up everything as quickly as possible before [the far right] get back.”
Merseyside Police issue appeal as four men arrested
15:41
Holly Evans
Merseyside Police have issued a further appeal after 53 police officers were injured during a night of violence in Southport, after far-right protesters wreaked havoc outside a mosque.
Of the 53 injured, 49 were Merseyside Police officers and four were Lancashire Police officers. Eight sustained serious injuries including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion and were treated in hospital.
The four men arrested include two 31-year-old men from St Helens and West Derby on suspicion of violent disorder, a 39-year-old man on suspicion of violent disorder and a 32-year-old man from Manchester with a probation address in Southport on suspicion of affray and possession of a bladed article.
Liverpool mayor says those claiming to have ‘questions’ about suspect are ‘trying to stir up tension’
15:31
Andy Gregory
Metro mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotheram said he had heard the opinion that protests began because of a “wall of silence” about what had happened.
He said: “Let’s be absolutely brutal and honest – what are those questions that remain unanswered? Well, the name of the individual. That’s because of legal reasons, that person’s 17.
“The one that social media wants to find out is the religion of that person. So you have to ask yourself the questions, why would anybody want to know the religion of the perpetrator of this vicious and heinous crime?
“And it’s to do exactly what we just talked about earlier, which is to stir up more tension in this community.”
Shop-owner raises £3,000 for store raided during riots
15:20
Andy Gregory
A Southport business owner whose shop is located across the road from a local store which was raided on Tuesday has helped raise more than £3,000 to support them.
Rose Tucker, 32, runs a beauty salon on Sussex Road and started a GoFundMe to support Windsor Mini Mart owner, Chanaka Balasuryla, after his shop was looted of alcohol and cigarettes during an outbreak of violence.
“Another shop next to us has had a window smashed, but nothing as deliberate as the Mini Mart, I don’t think,” she said.
Ms Tucker hopes the fundraiser, which has raised more than £3,000 of its £10,000 target, will provide a sense of “reassurance” for the family adding: “We love having this diverse community and we’re going to keep it that way. We do not condone any of [the riots], I think it’s barbaric.
“[Raising money] just seems like the right thing to do. They’ve had an absolutely horrific experience, so I want to help them as much as I can.”
Watch: Southport MP says thugs who do not live here led to outbreak of violence
15:07
Andy Gregory
Three arrests made on Tuesday night, police chief says
14:59
Andy Gregory
Three people were arrested on Tuesday night, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy has said – after hundreds rioted in Southport.
Ms Kennedy said: “Our priority was to try and keep the communities of Southport safe and also to make sure officers remained safe. Three arrests were made, however more will follow. It’s impossible to say [how many will be arrested]. It’s really early days in the investigation.”
The police chief estimated that 200 to 300 people were involved, saying: “Initially, there were about 70 people who made their way away from the vigil and were making their way towards the mosque.
“They suddenly became about 200 in number and then others joined that number.”
Police chief says officers suffered broken bones and concussions
14:49
Andy Gregory
Merseyside Police chief constable Serena Kennedy said none of the officers who were injured are in a critical condition – but that their injuries include broken bones, cuts and concussion.
Ms Kennedy said: “Being at Southport police station last night and seeing the officers being brought in from the street with their injuries was just devastating.”
It is a “fast-moving investigation and it’s progressing well”, the police chief said.
Government must come down ‘hard and fast’ on those spreading disinformation, says Cleverly
14:44
Andy Gregory
The government must come down “hard and fast” on those spreading misleading information in the wake of the Southport killings, the shadow home secretary has said.
James Cleverly said those “fuelling conspiracy” should face tough action, after false information was spread via social media, misidentifying the suspected killer and wrongly claiming he is a refugee.
Mr Cleverly said: “The violence we have seen in Southport is an insult to the memory of the victims of this heinous attack. These are not protesters fighting injustice, they are thugs fighting the police, tearing up a community that is already trying to process an unimaginable horror.
“They must be met with the full force of the law. People will understandably want to know how and why something so awful could have happened, but getting the right answers will take time.
“While we give the police space and time to do their job, we must have no truck with those spreading disinformation and fuelling conspiracy. The police, the home secretary and the government must come down on this hard and fast.”
Liverpool mayor says riot leaves ‘very sour taste in the mouth’
14:28
Holly Evans
Metro mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotheram said: “What we saw last night was infiltration by people from all over the country, stirred up by social media and then whipped up into a frenzy whereby they were attacking the very people that everybody earlier in the day was celebrating for being the heroes, for running towards danger.
“It leaves a very sour taste in the mouth that these people believe they can come here and divide our community.
“They won’t be doing that and the haters won’t win out.”
He added: “It’s too easy for people with nefarious intent to go online and to say things that aren’t factual and then for people to believe those things and really I think anybody who listens or watches anything online should do it with a large dose of salt.”
Emotional paramedic says team had seen ‘nothing like this’ before
14:25
Holly Evans
One emotional senior paramedic paying his respects at the scene told The Independent: “We have worked big scenes before but nothing like this. That many kids it was just awful.”
Merseyside police chief ‘appalled and disgusted’ by Southport violence
14:14
Holly Evans
Visiting the scene of Tuesday’s violence, Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: “I am absolutely appalled and disgusted at the level of violence that was shown towards my officers.
“These are the same officers who have been supporting this community for the last 48 hours.
“Some of the first responders who attended that awful scene on Monday and then were faced with that level of violence.”
She said: “They were there purely for hooliganism and thuggery.”
Ms Kennedy said: “We were absolutely not caught unawares last night.”
Home secretary too consider whether EDL should be under terror laws
14:03
Holly Evans
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper will “be looking at” whether the English Defence League should be proscribed under terrorism laws following the riot in Southport, Angela Rayner has suggested.
“We have laws and we have proscribed groups and we do look at that and it is reviewed regularly. So I’m sure that that will be something that the Home Secretary will be looking at as part of the normal course of what we do and the intelligence that we have.
“But I think the bigger issue is about taking on the minority of people that have got thuggish behaviour, that actually that’s not our British values.”
Ms Rayner also said: “The inciting of violence and violence on the street has absolutely no place in our democracy, and we have to crack down on those that perpetuate violence and spread it within our communities.”
Pointing to crises in the NHS and housing, she said: “It’s an absolute failure of politics to turn around and say ‘it’s because these people are here or whatever.”
Nigel Farage should not ‘stir up’ fake news, says Rayner
13:44
Holly Evans
Nigel Farage should not “stir up these fake news online” about the reasons behind the Southport knife attack, Angela Rayner has said.
The Deputy Prime Minister told LBC Radio that, as an MP, Mr Farage has “a level of responsibility”, “and it’s not to stoke up what conspiracy theories or what you think might have happened”.
“There’s a responsibility to say the police are doing a difficult job, local authorities, all of the services that are on the ground.
“We have a responsibility to hold the community together and say let’s get the facts, and then let’s look at what the actual solutions are and what we can do about the horrific situation that we find ourselves in, not to stir up these fake news online.”
Ms Rayner added that it is “really painful” for people caught up in the trauma to “see online that what’s happened to them is somehow been debated”.
Shopkeeper thanks community for support after ‘terrifying’ looting in Southport
13:25
Holly Evans
A shop owner whose Southport store was looted of alcohol and cigarettes during an outbreak of violence has described how the community has pledged to protect him and restore his business.
Chanaka Balasuryla was speaking outside his Windsor Mini Mart, which he feared was going to be burnt down during the disorder in the surrounding streets.
Mr Balasuryla described how he watched men attacking his store through the CCTV system from his home and became terrified that they would start a fire, trapping the woman and her daughter who live in the flat above.
He said he later found out that the woman confronted the attackers, telling them it was her shop in a plea for them to stop.
He described how he watched the CCTV footage on his phone as the attackers began smashing their way through the front of the shop, leaving his two children traumatised.
“I got a couple of hours’ sleep and then got a phone call saying ‘You need to come down, there’s lots of people waiting to help,” Mr Balasuryla said.
He added that local people had said they would defend his shop if necessary.
“It was terrifying last night,” he said. “But I feel safe again because people are here to protect us.”
Mr Balasuryla said he is of Sri Lankan background, and has lived in this community for 28 years after moving from London.
‘Why are we being targeted?’: Mosque chair says he feared rioters would break into building
13:05
Andy Gregory
Southport mosque chair Ibrahim Hussein said that, at one point on Tuesday night, he believed the rioters would break into the sacred building.
He said: “It was absolutely awful. We don’t know why we are the focus of these people who came round throwing abuse and throwing missiles and throwing bricks. We don’t know why we’re being targeted in that way.”
Mr Hussein said he understood why the teenager arrested over the deaths of the three children on Monday had yet to be named, adding: “It’s not for me to say what the police should or shouldn’t do.”
He added: “But it would have been helpful if they had said that he is not Muslim. I would love them to do that. Not that that it makes a big difference because, even if he is a Muslim, why should that reflect on the whole community?”
Police granted more time to question Southport suspect
12:54
Andy Gregory
Detectives have been granted more time to question the 17-year-old arrested on suspicion of the Southport knife attacks.
The teenager, who has not been named because of his age, remains in custody having been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
After the first 48 hours, police can apply for permission from magistrates to hold a suspect for up to a total of 96 hours without charge.
‘We thought rioters were going to burn the place down,’ says Southport mosque chair
12:36
Andy Gregory
Southport mosque chair Ibrahim Hussein said: “I would like to thank the police very, very, very much indeed. I’m very sorry for the causalities that the police took. They took a very bad beating.
“I would love to make it better but there’s nothing I can do about it. But I would like to thank them for their support because at one point we thought they [the rioters] were coming in and they were going to burn the place down.”
Mr Hussein said the mosque was open and added: “I will pray for the whole of Southport, I will pray for the victims of the awful attack on Monday, I will pray for the police and I will pray for the whole community to stay as beautiful as it has always been.”
He said the Muslim community still felt vulnerable, adding he had seen messages the day before indicating something was going to happen.
Mr Hussein described the attack on the dance class as “absolutely heartbreaking”.
How lies and disinformation about Southport knife attack suspect led to riots
12:15
Andy Gregory
The outpouring of rage in Southport on Tuesday night came after disinformation about the knife attack suspect’s identity was amplified and seen by millions on social media.
Merseyside Police said on Monday night that a 17-year-old male from Banks in Lancashire, who was born in Cardiff, had been arrested on suspicion of murder.
Despite this – and laws in the UK making it a criminal offence to identify a suspect who is a minor, at least until legal proceedings have completed – false claims began to circulate online purporting to name the suspect as “Ali Al-Shakati” and claiming he had arrived in the UK on a small boat in 2023.
One such source of this disinformation, which also falsely claimed the suspect was known to MI6, was an outlet calling itself Channel3 Now – whose post at 5:51pm on Monday featuring an article on the attack racked up close to two million views on X, formerly Twitter, before being deleted.
According to journalist Katharine Denkinson, who concluded that the post was “racially motivated click-bait”, the website purports to be based in the United States, but has no named journalists and appears to have started out 12 years ago sharing Russian-language videos of men in cars before pivoting to US news five years ago.
Boy, 10, helps clear up streets after ‘really scary’ riot near his home
12:06
Andy Gregory
Sebastian Taylor, aged 10, was helping sweep up near the mosque with his sister Evelyn, seven, and his mother Gemma.
“Last night was just horrible, so we were like ‘you know what, we should help because everyone was helping’,” he said, adding: “We were sweeping up bricks and metal and bottles and we were sweeping up burnt pieces of bins which had been on fire.”
He said he watched as local volunteers removed all the bricks from a wall which was partially demolished around the mosque so it can be rebuilt. Those helping move the bricks said builders in the area had already said they would help repair walls wrecked in the riot for free.
Sebastian said his family lives just a short distance from where the violence erupted. He said: “It was really scary. Mum told us to go upstairs for some strange reason.”
Mrs Taylor said: “The first I saw was a load of people walking down our road which you wouldn’t walk down unless you lived down there. I thought ‘it’s happening’ and got them all upstairs and shut all the blinds. Unfortunately, you can’t keep them away from it if it’s right on our doorstep and they looked out of the window.”
Green Party condemns rioting by ‘fascist thugs’ in Southport
11:39
Andy Gregory
The Green Party has condemned the rioting by “fascist thugs” in Southport.
Amanda Onwuemene, the party’s spokesperson for policing and domestic safety, said: “The far-right is using disinformation around the horrific murders of children in Southport to do what it always does: spread hatred and fear.
“The attacks on a mosque and police by fascist thugs yesterday are an appalling violation of a community that has already suffered a devastating blow. The Green Party condemns this violence and stands in solidarity with the people of Southport against those who seek to divide it.”
Rayner criticises ‘disrespectful’ social media theories and urges public to let police ‘do their work’
11:29
Millie Cooke, Political Correspondent
Angela Rayner criticised “disrespectful” social media theories circulating online in the wake of the Southport stabbings, urging people to allow the police to establish the facts.
Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, the deputy prime minister said: “I think there’s been a couple of instances recently where, especially particularly online, where theories and things are whipped up, whereas actually it turns out to be not true or not the full picture.
“And I think there’s a culture now where people want to instantly get the facts, but actually it’s important that police and those people that are doing the work are able to carry out that work.
“And it’s important for justice as well, because we have law and order in the UK, and it’s important that those authorities are able to establish the facts and then to be able to bring those forward.
“But speculation and some of the untruths that have been put around social media, not only is that creating tensions and fear in the community, but it’s disrespectful to family who maybe want those answers that haven’t got those answers.”
Ms Rayner warned that the speculation online is “really unhelpful for the police”, calling for members of the public to “step back and just wait and then that information will come but allow the police to do their work”.
Brooke Kinsella | Here’s what I want the families in Southport to know
11:04
Andy Gregory
In a piece for Independent Voices, former Eastenders star Brooke Kinsella writes:
Like so many others, the tragic news from Southport has left me utterly heartbroken. It is simply too much for all of us to comprehend: three innocent children, taken from this world in a senseless act of violence.
As I hold my breath, waiting for updates on the condition of the others, a wave of familiar dread washes over me. I know the pain that these families are now enduring. I have lived it.
In 2008, my beloved brother, Ben, was murdered in an unprovoked attack. He was just 16. The world my family knew shattered around us. Time stood still, and yet, it moved with relentless speed, carrying us into a reality we never imagined. Grief, a monstrous, all-consuming entity, became our constant companion.
To the families of Southport, I offer you my deepest condolences. There are no words that can even begin to alleviate your suffering but please know that you are not alone. There is sadly a community of people who understand your agony, who will walk with you through this darkness.
GoFundMe page for victim’s family raises £15,000
11:01
Andy Gregory
A fundraiser has been set up for the family of Elsie Dot Stancombe, one of the three young girls to have been killed in Monday’s attack, which left eight other children and two adults injured.
The GoFundMe page states that, on Monday, “our beloved Elsie – daughter, granddaughter, niece, and cherished friend – left us in the saddest of circumstances.
“During this heartbreaking time, we witnessed the emergency services act with extraordinary bravery, compassion, and strength. Their efforts were a beacon of hope in our darkest moments, and we are profoundly grateful.
“Our deepest thanks go out to everyone who has supported us. We also extend our heartfelt condolences to the other families affected by this tragedy.
“Elsie’s parents, Jennifer and David, need time to grieve and support their other daughter, Rosie. We kindly request donations to allow them to heal as a family and ensure Rosie has the best possible support to grow and thrive. Any contribution, no matter the size, would mean the world to us.”
It has raised £15,000 since being set up 12 hours ago.
’I did what I could’: Joel Verite the hero personal trainer who tackled knifeman speaks out
10:53
Andy Gregory
The man who rushed into the dance studio to help the victims and who locked eyes with the attacker has said he is “overwhelmed” with the amount of messages of love and support that he has since received.
Joel Verite has been widely praised after it emerged that the window cleaner ran into the building to help. In a statement on Facebook, he said: “At the end of the day this isn’t about me, I did what I could and what I thought was right at that very moment, I wish I could have done more but sadly it was too late for some.
“ I have given one interview only with Sky News which is the only one I have done and will be doing at this very moment in time, I don’t feel like it is right for me at this current time to be talking about the events in detail whilst families are grieving their children’s losses and other families are at their children’s bedsides whilst they fight for their lives along with the adults also currently in hospital.
“I am being hounded for more, but like I said this isn’t about me, and if I feel it is right talking about this in the future then I will make that decision when the time is right. Please understand this has had an effect on myself and respect my privacy.
“My heart goes out to every single person involved in this tragic attack, my thoughts are with them and will remain to be with them at this horrendously difficult time.”
Southport MP: Thugs who do not live here hijacked the worst atrocity in our town’s memory
10:39
Andy Gregory
Labour’s MP for Southport has condemned hundreds of far-right thugs who descended on the town on Tuesday, 30 July, in the aftermath of a stabbing attack, reports Holly Patrick.
Patrick Hurley praised those who attended a vigil for the victims, describing them as showing the “real Southport”, telling Times Radio: “We had hundreds of people descend on Southport intent on causing trouble.”
Tobias Ellwood accuses Farage of ‘deliberately inflaming tensions’ in Southport
10:32
Millie Cooke, Political Correspondent
Former MP Tobias Ellwood has piled in on Nigel Farage, accusing him of “deliberately inflaming tensions”.
On Tuesday afternoon, before the riots began in Southport, the Reform UK leader posted a video to social media responding to the attack, questioning why the incident was not being treated as terror-related and asking whether the “truth is being withheld from us”.
He also asked whether the suspect, who is 17 and has not been identified, was being monitored by the security services. In a statement the same day, Merseyside Police had stressed the “incident is not currently being treated as terror-related”.
Responding to the MP for Clacton’s video, Mr Ellwood said: “I lost my brother to terrorism. To ramp up hatred online by claiming the Southport attack was terrorist related (culminating in riots, a mosque damaged and 27 police injured) is not just reprehensible but needs addressing. Otherwise it will happen again.
“Disgusted how a sitting MP deliberately [inflames] tensions without any justification. Farage should delete this tweet.”
But Mr Farage said “it’s perfectly reasonable to ask what is happening to law and order”.
Man whose shop was looted says community has vowed to defend his shop if needed
10:29
Andy Gregory
Shop owner Chanaka Balasuryla said the Southport community has rallied around him since his store was looted during the disorder.
Mr Balasuryla said he called 999 after spotting men trying to smash their way in, on the CCTV camera from his home five minutes away.
He said he was “terrified” when he thought they would set fire to the premises because there is a woman and her daughter living in a flat above, and said he later found out that the woman confronted the raiders, telling them it was her shop in an attempt to stop them.
“I got a couple of hours’ sleep and then got a phone call saying ‘You need to come down, there’s lots of people waiting to help,” Mr Balasuryla said.
He added that local people had said they would defend his shop if necessary. “It was terrifying last night,” he said. “But I feel safe again because people are here to protect us.”
Southport residents help with clean-up outside mosque targeted by rioters
10:01
Andy Gregory
Dozens of local residents turned up outside Southport mosque with brushes and shovels to help with the clean-up operation on Wednesday morning.
Norman Wallis, chief executive of Southport Pleasureland, who was helping at the junction of Sussex Road and St Luke’s Road, said it was partly in response to a social media plea he put out after witnessing the violence on Tuesday evening.
Mr Wallis said: “There are hundreds of people who have responded, and we’ve ended up with lots of people down here today, all from the local community and helping with the fantastic clean-up.”
He added: “It’s horrendous what those hooligans have done last night.