Southport stabbings: Mum of victim says 'stop the violence' as locals left to clean up after riots
Local residents have been left to clean up after violence in the seaside town last night saw rioters clash with police and target a mosque.
Thursday 1 August 2024 02:08, UK
The mum of one of the three young girls who were killed in a mass stabbing in Southport has taken to social media to ask people to "stop the violence".
A crowd of men, many wearing masks and hoodies, were embroiled in a running battle with police officers outside a mosque in the Merseyside town on Tuesday evening.
Chants of "English til I die" were heard before the outbreak of the violence, in which 53 police officers were injured.
Eight of the officers were treated in hospital after suffering serious injuries including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion. Three police dogs were also injured.
Merseyside Police is appealing for footage and information following the disorder and said they believe the group of people to be supporters of the English Defence League.
A total of four men have been arrested and taken into custody.
Merseyside Police chief constable Serena Kennedy said she wants to "reassure the communities of Southport" that the force is "absolutely planning" for the possibility of more disorder breaking out this evening and during the weekend ahead.
Tuesday evening's clashes came after false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.
Southport stabbings latest: Farage accused of 'ramping up hatred'
The group descended on Southport as it was already reeling from the knife attack that left three children dead - with a peaceful vigil also held earlier in the evening.
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed outside a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Monday.
Police have confirmed that a 17-year-old arrested over the attack was born in Wales.
The teenager, who has not been named because of his age, remains in custody having been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, and police have been granted more time to question him.
'Stop the violence'
The mother of Elsie took to social media on Tuesday evening to ask people to "stop the violence" in Southport.
She said: "This is the only thing that I will write, but please please stop the violence in Southport tonight.
"The police have been nothing but heroic in these last 24 hours and they and we don't need this."
As well as the three children who died, eight other youngsters suffered stab wounds and five are in a critical condition, alongside two adults who were also critically injured, police said.
'Nothing better than Tommy Robinson in a suit'
Nigel Farage came under fire over claims he had "whipped up" rioters in Southport with the Reform UK leader branded "nothing better than Tommy Robinson in a suit".
Mr Farage doubled down on comments made on social media where he questioned "whether the truth is being withheld from us" following the attack.
The newly-elected MP has come in for strong criticism, including from Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox.
Mr Cox told BBC Radio Four's Today programme Mr Farage's remarks made him "nothing better than a Tommy Robinson in a suit".
He added: "It is beyond the pale to use a moment like this to spread your narrative and to spread your hatred, and we saw the results on Southport's streets last night."
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But Mr Farage defended his position and insisted he had "merely expressed a sense of sadness and concern that is being felt by absolutely everybody I know - 'what the hell is going on?'"
Woman confronts rioters
Shop owner Chanaka Balasuryla said the Southport community has rallied around him since his store was looted during the disorder.
He rang 999 after he spotted men trying to smash their way in on CCTV cameras from his home, five minutes away.
Mr Balasuryla said he was "terrified" when he thought they would set the property on fire, as there was a woman and daughter living in the flat above.
But he said he later found out that the woman confronted the raiders, telling them it was her shop in an attempt to stop them.
Read more:
Thousands attend vigil as tributes paid to girls killed in attack
Police officers injured in disorder outside mosque
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."
Locals left to clean up
On Wednesday morning, dozens of residents were outside Southport mosque with brushes and shovels to clean up.
Firefighters were also seen filling up buckets of water for the flowers left in tribute to the victims of the attack.
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Norman Wallis, chief executive of Southport Pleasureland, was among those helping.
He said: "It's horrendous what those hooligans have done last night. It was like a war scene. People from out of town just causing absolute mayhem.
"People in hoods climbing up lampposts, throwing bricks, they set a police car on fire.
"But none of those people were the people of Southport. The people of Southport are the ones here today cleaning the mess up.
"Those people from out of town - they came in in buses and cars and had a change of clothes. They just started to riot and do this."
Barricaded in the mosque
Iman Ibrahim Hussein spoke to Sky News about being barricaded inside the mosque as rioters threw bricks at it from the outside.
He said: "I came here because I knew that there was something brewing and soon after that I started to hear the abuse and the chanting, and then the bricks throwing and fire.
"It was terrifying ... we were barricaded in and we couldn't leave."
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'Really good friends'
Ten-year-old Imogen Povey said she had known one of the victims from spending a few weeks together at drama club - where they had become "really good friends".
Imogen described the girl as "really kind and caring" and said "she was there for everybody, [even] if they were upset..." and added she loved to dance.
Her mum Helen, when asked about the riots and unrest that had followed, told Sky News: "It's just horrendous. People paying respects and there's just no reason for it. It shouldn't have happened."
More than 50 officers injured
The chairman of Merseyside Police Federation, Chris McGlade, said more than 50 officers had been hurt in the "sustained and vicious attack".
He added: "Police officers are not robots. We are mothers and fathers. Sons and daughters. Husbands, wives and partners.
"We should be going home at the end of our shifts. Not to hospital."