By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
SOUTHPORT, BRITAIN (Worthy News) – More than 50 police officers have been injured in clashes outside a mosque in the seaside town of Southport in England after authorities confirmed that three young girls were killed in a knife attack that shocked the nation.
The unrest followed a peaceful vigil for the victims of Monday’s shocking attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in which multiple children were stabbed.
A police van was set on fire overnight night while men in balaclavas were pushed back by officers, with 27 officers requiring hospital treatment, officials and witnesses said Wednesday.
Legislator Patrick Hurley described the violence – close to a mosque – as “horrific.”
It came while police kept the alleged attacker of the children in custody.
The attacker was described as a 17-year-old boy who was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 2006 after his parents, currently in their 40s, moved from Rwanda.
The teenager, who was being interrogated by police on charges of “murder and attempted murder,” was not identified in accordance with Britain’s privacy laws.
Authorities tried to play down suggestions that Islamic extremism may have been the reason behind the attack, as the group protesting against Islam suggested.
HYPOTHESIS SEEN
Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss cautioned: “There has been much speculation and hypothesis around the status of a 17-year-old male who is currently in police custody, and some individuals are using this to bring violence and disorder to our streets.”
Those words did little to ease the pain among those who lost their children. The three young girls killed in Monday’s tragic knife attack have been named as Bebe King, six; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven; and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
Eight other children suffered stab wounds, and at least two are still in critical condition, alongside two adults who were critically injured.
With anger mounting, the regional Merseyside Police suggested that the attackers at the mosque were members of the far-right English Defense League (EDL).
The far-right group has a strong presence on social media, where leaders will mobilize supporters.
Tommy Robinson once led it, and many members chanted his name during the events.
Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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