More than 100 individuals have been arrested in central London as protests spread across the UK in response to the tragic knife attack in Southport. The unrest erupted on Wednesday night, following the fatal stabbings of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Merseyside earlier in the week.
Violent clashes occurred in several locations, including Whitehall near Downing Street, where demonstrators threw flares and other objects at officers and a statue of Winston Churchill. Protesters were heard chanting “stop the boats” and “save our kids” as they defied conditions set by the Metropolitan Police. The Met reported that arrests were made for various offenses, including violent disorder and assault on emergency workers.
In Hartlepool, further disorder broke out, resulting in eight arrests and several injured officers. A police car was set ablaze as protesters hurled glass bottles and eggs at the police. Cleveland Police confirmed the connection between these disturbances and the Southport incident, with additional arrests anticipated.
Other incidents of disorder and intimidating behavior were reported in Manchester and Aldershot, though no arrests were made in these locations. In Aldershot, local MP Alex Baker condemned the violence, stating that outsiders had incited unrest in the community.
The turmoil follows an attack near a mosque in Southport on Tuesday, where Merseyside Police faced violent crowds and saw a police van set on fire. The Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, is scheduled to meet with senior police officials on Thursday to express government support and discuss the response to the ongoing unrest. He emphasized the importance of protecting the right to peaceful protest while condemning the exploitation of this right to incite violence.
The initial catalyst for these protests was the tragic killing of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, who were fatally stabbed on Monday. A 17-year-old boy has been charged with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder and is set to appear in court on Thursday.