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United Kingdom: Riots around Southport mosque after stabbing murder of three girls

A 17-year-old male, allegedly an immigrant, carried out a knife attack on a dance school. 

Stabbing in Southport, England.AFP

Published by
Juan Peña

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The latest episode of violence in Southport, England, in which an immigrant stabbed three underage girls to death at a dance workshop, sparked a new wave of unrest. At least 22 police officers were injured during clashes with demonstrators in the English town.

In Southport, located in the county of Merseyside, near Liverpool, a peaceful vigil was organized during Tuesday to condemn Monday's knife attacks that took place at a children's dance workshop. At least five girls were injured when a 17-year-old male attacked them. Three of the children died as a result of this stabbing attack. 

The peaceful vigil quickly changed tone, and several of its attendees engaged in vandalism and clashes with the Merseyside County Police, who were there to control event. Several images show protesters throwing stones and objects at the police line.

In the riots, protesters also attacked the local mosque in Southport. Suspicions about the religion and alleged foreign identity of the attacker who killed three girls were one of the triggers behind this attack on the mosque. 

According to Merseyside Police, at least 22 officers were injured during the clashes. Eight of them suffered serious injuries. Authorities condemned the incident. This violent demonstration in a residential area of the United Kingdom is the second in less than a month. Earlier in July, another episode of violent rioting broke out in a multicultural neighborhood in Leeds after an action by social services and the police. 

Anti-immigration messages

After the attack against the dance center in which three girls died at the hands of a 17-year-old male, several messages against immigration were spread on social media. 

Some information accounts assured that the attacker was an illegal immigrant in the United Kingdom. The country has been home over the last few years a high number of knife attacks carried out by Muslim lone wolves. This context was the one that provoked the strong discontent that led Southport residents to vandalize and attack a mosque in the city. 
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