Two children dead with six children critically injured in 'ferocious' Southport knife attack

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Two children dead with six children critically injured in 'ferocious' Southport knife attack

Two children have died after a knife attack in Southport on Monday, according to police.

Nine other children have been injured, with six of the nine being in a critical condition. All those injured have suffered stab wounds sustained during the attack.

Two adults are also in a critical condition.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy told a press conference the children were attending a Taylor Swift event at a dance school when a 17-year-old with a knife walked into the premises and started to attack.

Merseyside police declared a major incident in the town with one witness describing the scene on Hart Street as like a “horror movie”.

Emergency services were called to a property at around 11:50am, with armed police arresting a 17-year old boy. The teenager, from the village of Banks, and originally from Cardiff, is currently being questioned on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Officers say there is no wider threat to the public but are urging people to avoid the area. At this stage the force say that the incident is not being treated as terror related.

A witness said he called police to an address in Hart Street behind which is The Hart Space studios.

One of the events listed at The Hart Space at the time of the stabbings was a Taylor Swift-themed yoga class for children in school years two to six, aged between six and 11.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has offered his condolences to the victims of the attack in Southport, and their families and friends, saying “the whole country is deeply shocked”.

“I know I speak for everybody in the whole country in saying our thoughts and condolences are with the victims, their families, their friends and with the wider community," he said.

“It is impossible to imagine what they are going through right now.”

He praised the emergency services for their professionalism in dealing with the incident.

Members of the Royal Family joined Starmer in sending condolences. The King said both himself and the Queen were shocked by what had taken place.

He said: “We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales called the incident "heinous", and added: “As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.”

In statement, North West Ambulance service (NWAS) said:

"We have dispatched 13 ambulances along with specialised resources of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), Air Ambulance and Merit Doctors to the scene.

"So far, NWAS has treated eight patients with stab injuries who have been taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport and Formby hospital."

Alder Hey Children's hospital have confirmed that the trust has declared a major incident:

"We can confirm that the Trust has declared a major incident.

"The Trust is working with other emergency services to respond to this incident and our Emergency Department is currently extremely busy.

"We ask parents to only bring their children to the Emergency Department if it is urgent."

One man who didn't wish to be identified lives with his mother on Hart Street, said he rushed home from work to be with her after she saw the incident.

“She went out to see what was going on, because she could hear screaming and crying.

“All she said was she saw members of, I don’t know, either police or ambulance, carrying out a few bodies of girls.

“They were in white, but covered in red, covered in blood. She said she could see the stab wounds in the backs of the children. That’s what she saw."

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the incident in Southport was “horrendous and deeply shocking”.

In a statement he said: “Horrendous and deeply shocking news emerging from Southport. My thoughts are with all those affected.

“I would like to thank the police and emergency services for their swift response.

“I am being kept updated as the situation develops.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “deeply concerned” and thanked the emergency services for their “swift and courageous response” to the “awful incident”.

She told the Commons: “I know the whole House will be concerned at the extremely serious incident that has taken place in Southport.

“All of our thoughts will be with the family and loved ones of those who are affected.

“I have been in contact with the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner and the Merseyside Mayor to convey my support to the police and thanks to the police and emergency services for their swift and courageous response.

“The response to this awful incident is currently unfolding and the House and the public will be updated in due course.”

Southport MP Patrick Hurley shared the home secretary's concern and said in a statement:

“I am hoping for the best possible outcomes to the casualties affected.

“My thoughts go out to all those affected, their loved ones and to the entire community.

“The police have confirmed that an individual involved in the attack has now been detained.

“I am repeating the advice of the police to avoid the area whilst the police and ambulance teams support this incident.”

[Zaune]

Haven't got a good source right now, but I've heard the police have caught the guy who did it.

I really hope it turns out they'd had some kind of mental breakdown. The alternative is just too depressing to contemplate.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

Apparently, it was a 17 year old boy.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

A third girl has died

More than 50 police officers injured at scene of violent disorder in Southport following stabbings

More than 50 officers were injured after the "sustained and vicious attack" by "mindless and violent thugs" in Southport on Tuesday night, police have said.

Merseyside Police Federation said it is "utterly disgusted" that officers have been left with injuries including fractures, lacerations, and concussions following the disorder that broke out in the town.

Police said those involved in the unrest – who they believe included supporters of the English Defence League – set alight cars belonging to members of the public, threw bricks at the local mosque, damaged a local convenience store, and set wheelie bins on fire.

The disorder came as tensions rose over the stabbing attack on Monday that left three children dead and more injured.

Police have warned more disorder could come in the wake of the stabbings, with officers detaining more than a dozen protesters outside Whitehall in London on Wednesday night.

Chair of Merseyside Police Federation Chris McGlade said: "Merseyside is reeling from an unimaginable tragedy, an incident that has left us all shocked as human beings.

"We are equally shocked as police officers.

"The very same courageous officers who are themselves trying to come to terms with what has happened in Southport this week came under a sustained and vicious attack last night.

"It is utterly disgusting that more than 50 police officers were injured. Brave colleagues have been left with fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion.

"I utterly condemn the actions of these mindless and violent thugs - and they will be brought to justice for their actions."

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.

Eight other children were also stabbed, with five children and two adults left in a critical condition.

Four men have been arrested after hundreds of people were involved in rioting in Southport on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday afternoon.

Unrest broke out near the town’s mosque leaving 49 Merseyside officers and four from Lancashire injured, as well as three police dogs that were hurt.

Merseyside police said garden walls were broken down by protesters who threw bricks at officers and the local mosque.

In a post on social media, the force said shops had been “broken into and looted”, adding that “those responsible will be brought to justice”.

Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable, Alex Goss, said: “Merseyside Police has faced serious violence in Southport and I am so proud to have witnessed off-duty officers (many of whom had not long finished a full shift) parade back on duty to support their colleagues who had displayed such courage whilst under constant and sustained attack.

“I would also like to thank officers from Greater Manchester Police, Cheshire Police, Lancashire Police and North Wales Police who also provided mutual aid and support.

“Sadly, offenders have destroyed garden walls so they could use the bricks to attack our officers and have set cars belonging to the public on fire, and damaged cars parked in the mosque car park.”

He added: “This is no way to treat a community, least of all a community that is still reeling from the events of Monday.”

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder following the incident at the dance studio in Hart Street.

Police have been granted more time to question him.

The Muslim Council of Britain says Islamaphobic backlash began with a false rumour on the internet which was then stoked by misinformation from a Russian news site, which wrongfully associated the crime with Muslims.

The MCB paid tribute to the three young girls killed in Southport on Monday, before condemning “shocking scenes of far-right rioters running amok outside a mosque”.

[Crazedwraith]

It's just awful. The attack and the rioting in response to it.

Just... fucking hell.

[Zaune]

The EDL might be getting proscribed over it, so that's one small silver lining.

[EnterpriseSovereign]

The title should be updated to say three children dead.

Second hotel targeted by masked rioters as PM condemns 'far-right thuggery'

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned an attack on a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham and vowed that those involved in "far-right thuggery" would "regret taking part in this disorder".

In a televised address to the nation on Sunday, the prime minister branded the action "far-right thuggery" following ongoing disorder across parts of the country.

Holiday Inn hotels were targeted in Rotherham and later in Tamworth on Sunday, and crowds gathered outside a mosque in Middlesborough.

Starmer suggested that rioters taking to the streets, and those “whipping up this action online and then running away themselves,” would face consequences.

Masked rioters smashed windows and launched objects including pieces of wood and chairs at officers who lined up in front of the hotel in Rotherham.

At least ten officers were injured, with one left unconscious following a head injury, and others suffering suspected broken bones, police said.

Videos from the scene appeared to show a fire inside the hotel and a bin set alight close to the entrance.

South Yorkshire Police said no hotel employees or residents had been reported as injured, and the group of rioters were being dispersed from the area.

A police officer was also injured outside a hotel in Tamworth as officers responded to “violent acts of thuggery”.

People threw projectiles, smashed windows, and started fires, police said.

The Home Office announced on Sunday that mosques would be offered greater protection under a new “rapid response process” designed to quickly tackle the threat of further attacks on places of worship.

The prime minister said he wanted those who “feel targeted because of the colour of their skin” to know “this violent mob do not represent our country, and we will bring them to justice”.

“There is no justification, none, for taking this action. And all right-minded people should be condemning this assault of violence," he said.

“People in this country have a right to be safe. And yet we’ve seen Muslim communities targeted, attacks on mosques.

“Other minority communities singled out, Nazi salutes in the street, attacks on the police, wanton violence alongside racist rhetoric, so no, I won’t shy away from calling it what it is: far-right thuggery."

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the deliberate torching of a hotel where people were known to be inside in Rotherham was “utterly appalling”, as she backed police to take “the strongest action against those responsible”.

Rotherham MP Sarah Champion said she was "extremely concerned" by the "escalating violence" at the hotel.

“The people causing damage and attacking police do not represent our town and I am disgusted by their actions. This is criminal disorder and intimidation – not protest," she said.

The rioting in Rotherham and Tamworth is the latest in a series of violent protests across the country.

It follows similar scenes of unrest in Southport, Belfast, Hartlepool, Hull, Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent, Nottingham, Sunderland and elsewhere earlier in the week.

Violence has broken out following the killing of three young girls in Southport on Monday, with 147 arrests made since Saturday alone.

Axel Rudakubana, 17, is accused of the attack, but false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had travelled to the UK by boat.

The far right have been widely condemned as the organising force behind the subsequent rioting, which has seen bricks pelted at police officers, community facilities including a library set on fire, mosques attacked and shops looted.

Starmer held crisis talks with ministers on Saturday over the unrest, with Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood telling colleagues “the whole justice system is ready to deliver convictions as quickly as possible”.

Starmer has given police his "full backing" to take any action necessary to respond to "extremists" attempting to "sow hate" in communities.

[His Divine Shadow]

Interview with some locals


Is the youtube tag broken? http:// doesn't work either.

Direct link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c9T9kfkOPI

[Crazedwraith]

That youtube inbed is working for me. I think you need to use http:// in the link and be on the http version of the site.