A far-right mob targeted a mosque in north-west England that saw three young girls fatally stabbed during a peaceful vigil in their memory and around 40 police officers suffered injuries in the disorder.
According to reports, misinformation being spread on social media about the ethnicity and religion of the 17-year-old male suspect in police custody led to the rioting at the mosque in Southport on Tuesday night.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who had earlier visited the site of Monday's brutal stabbing attack on a dance studio on Hart Street, condemned the mobs for hijacking the vigil and insulting the grieving community with their actions.
The people of Southport are reeling after the horror inflicted on them yesterday. They deserve our support and our respect, said Starmer.
Those who have hijacked the vigil for the victims with violence and thuggery have insulted the community as it grieves. They will feel the full force of the law, he said.
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Bebe