London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday called a meeting with police chiefs after violent protests outside Downing Street in London over the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport, north-west England, as the teenage male suspect in the attack was charged with murder.
The Metropolitan Police said that over 100 people have been arrested during the clashes on Wednesday evening for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions as some of its officers suffered minor injuries.
It followed violent protests in Southport and also in Hartlepool, north-east England, and Aldershot, south-east England, believed to involve far-right groups whipped up by social media misinformation claiming the male suspect behind the stabbing was a Muslim asylum seeker who arrived illegally in the country on a boat.
“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,” said Met Police Superintendent Neil Holyoak.
“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,” he said.
Flares were thrown towards the gates of Downing Street and some among the crowd threw cans and glass bottles. Protesters later tried to kick down a fence as they were confronted by police equipped with riot gear.
Chants of "Rule Britannia", "save our kids" and "stop the boats" could be heard as the crowd was penned in by the police trying to contain the disorder on Wednesday night. Arrests were also made amid similar violent disorder in Hartlepool and Aldershot.
Meanwhile, the Wales-born 17-year-old suspect from the nearby village of Banks in Lancashire who was arrested after the attack on Monday has been charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a knife. He cannot be named for legal reasons as he is under 18 and will appear at Liverpool City Magistrates Court on Thursday.
"Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW),” said Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy.
Three children – six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar – died as a result of the attack at The Hart Space community centre.
A "Taylor Swift Yoga and Dance Workshop" aimed at primary school children was taking place at the time of the attack in the seaside town north of the city of Liverpool. Eight other children suffered stab wounds in the attack, five of whom remain in critical condition in hospital. Two adults, including one of the organisers of the event, also suffered critical injuries.