Over 100 arrests in second night of UK rioting, as police car set on fire, with teenager charged over Southport murders
1 August 2024, 08:11
More than 100 people were arrested on Wednesday night in the second night of rioting across the UK, with more police officers injured in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings that saw three girls killed.
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Violent protests broke out outside Downing Street in central London, in Hartlepool in the north-east, and in Manchester, as well as a smaller demonstration in Aldershot in Hampshire on Wednesday night.
Some 110 people were arrested in London, eight were held in Hartlepool, two in Manchester, with none confirmed in Hampshire.
It comes after a riot in Southport on Tuesday night, following Monday's attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, which killed three and left eight more hurt. Five of those children are in a critical condition.
Social media disinformation spread claiming that the attack was carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who crossed the Channel in a small boat.
Read More: Boy, 17, charged with three counts of murder following Southport stabbings
The 17-year-old who has been charged with the murders and attempted murders was born in Cardiff to parents who came from Rwanda.
Two adults were also left in a critical condition after intervening to try and save the children attending the class.
The victims have been named as Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
In Whitehall in central London, protesters launched beer cans and glass bottles at police officers. They also hurled flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.
Demonstrators wearing England flags and waving banners shouted "enough is enough" and "stop the boats".
The angry scenes also included loud chants of: "We want our country back" and: "Oh Tommy Robinson", referring to the right-wing activist.
One man wore a shirt with the slogan: "Nigel Farage for Prime Minister, Tommy Robinson for Home Secretary", refer
In Hartlepool, confrontations with the police continued late into the night, where demonstrators set fire to a police car and pelted officers with missiles, including glass bottles.
In Manchester, there was a demonstration outside the Holiday Inn on Oldham Road before dispersing the crowd after protesters started throwing beer bottles at officers and members of the public.
The Manchester attack also saw chants of: "We want our country back", while a group of men were seen jumping in the path of a bus, smashing its wing mirror and assaulting a passenger.
There was a demonstration in Aldershot that was met by police, but it seems not to have been marred by the violence seen elsewhere.
It comes after a riot attended by over 200 people in Southport on Tuesday night, where four people were arrested and 53 police officers were injured, along with three police dogs.
The riot saw violent thugs hurling missiles at a mosque and police officers.
Police cars were also torched in the violence, which took place less than an hour after a vigil that was held for Bebe, Elsie and Alice
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to say the killings in Southport highlight the "bravery of our emergency services workers" and the "vitally important work" they carry out.
The PM is expected to give police his backing as he warns criminals who exploit the right to protest will face the "full force of the law".
Sir Keir visited the scene of Monday's attack to lay a wreath along with local police leaders and was heckled while doing so.
The 17-year-old boy has been charged with three murders, ten attempted murders, and possession of a bladed article, Merseyside Police confirmed during a hastily arranged press conference at midnight on Wednesday.
Sarah Hammond, chief crown prosecutor for Mersey-Cheshire, confirmed the suspect is from the nearby village of Banks in Lancashire, but was born in Cardiff, Wales.
Two adults - including one organiser of the event - and five children remain in a critical condition in hospital following the violent attack which took place at The Hart Space community centre.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been remanded in police custody and will appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.
During the press conference, the force highlighted that this was a "live investigation" and urged people not to speculate about the boys identity online.
