The chairman of a mosque in a seaside town where a knifeman killed three girls said he feared the building would be burnt to the ground during an attack by far-right rioters the night after the stabbings.
The attack at the Southport Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre by the 300-strong mob, in which 40 police officers were injured, was sparked by false information online suggesting a newly arrived asylum seeker on a terror watchlist was behind the fatal stabbings.
Politicians, including UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, on Wednesday condemned the spread of "dangerous" false information and "disrespectful untruths".
On Thursday morning, Merseyside Police charged a 17-year-old boy, from Banks Lancashire, with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder after the stabbings in Southport.
“We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial,” said Sarah Hammond, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Mersey-Cheshire.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.
“Our thoughts remain with the families of all of those affected by these harrowing events.”
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe were stabbed to death in the Merseyside town on Monday, while attending a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday club.
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Riot police hold back protesters in Southport. The demonstrations broke out after the killing of three children in a knife attack at a dance school. Getty Images -
An excavator is used to remove debris from outside the Southport Islamic Society Mosque after a night of disorder. EPA -
Damage to the Southport Islamic Society Mosque. EPA -
A damaged car inside the car park of the Southport Islamic Society Mosque. PA -
Volunteers sweep Sussex Road in Southport. PA -
The Windsor Mini Mart on Windsor Road in Southport, which was looted. PA -
Response workers clear Sussex road. Reuters -
Rioters throw objects at a police van. Getty Images -
A police van burns after crowds clashed with police near where the three girls, aged six, seven and nine, were stabbed to death at a dance class on July 29. AP -
An injured police officer is helped. Getty Images -
Riot police hold back protesters near a burning police vehicle. Getty Images -
A counter-protester holds a placard. Getty Images -
Riot police clash with protesters. Getty Images -
Merseyside Police said an officer suffered a suspected broken nose in chaotic scenes outside the mosque. Getty Images -
Rioters climb on top of a police van. Getty Images -
A burning police vehicle. Getty Images
A vigil was held on Tuesday for the girls but in the early evening a large group of people, many of whom police believed to be supporters of the anti-Islam English Defence League, made their way towards the mosque.
Mosque chairman Ibrahim Hussein told The National he was among eight people who locked themselves inside the mosque as the rioters closed in.
Fences and cars were set alight, and rocks thrown at police. The troubling scenes led to 27 officers being taken to hospital, and 12 others treated and discharged at the scene.
Mr Hussein said the eight worshippers had been at the mosque praying as usual when, about 8pm, abuse was shouted from outside and bricks were thrown at the building.
He had suspected trouble was brewing due to what had been shared on social media so he asked most worshippers to stay away.
"It was absolutely frightening and terrifying," Mr Hussein said. "We could feel the heat of the fences burning outside and the stuff that was thrown."
Speaking outside the mosque, he said he feared the building would burn down, or the attackers would break in. He and the others inside stayed away from the windows.
"They really went for it," Mr Hussein said, describing the "chanting and screaming, and the anger" as overwhelming.
"The mob destroyed our walls and burnt our fences. They tried to destroy the mosque and the only reason they didn't get to us is because the police formed a barrier to protect us. Everyone is shaken."
He was eventually able to escape with a police guard at midnight after officers had dispersed the crowd.
Mr Hussain said those involved with the mosque do not understand why it became the focus of attention.
"We have absolutely nothing to do with all the stories that are circulating in social media," he said. "But obviously, some people would like to make trouble no matter what."
On Wednesday, he said: "Today we have seen the real Southport, all the people who have turned up to help us rebuild the mosque, not these mindless people who came from outside the town to do this.
"Never in the 30 years the mosque has been here has anything like this happened."
After the killings, mosque officials posted a message saying they were “truly shocked and saddened to hear about the events" and that “we extend our deepest sympathy to the families of all affected".
Mr Hussain also thanked the “local community for beautiful messages of support they kept sending”, included offers to “protect the mosque”.
On Wednesday afternoon, tradesmen arrived and began rebuilding a wall and repairing damage at the mosque.
Dozens of residents turned up with brushes and shovels to help with the clean-up operation.
"I don't know who they are," said Mr Hussein, who described them as "beautiful people".
Builder Liam Reilly, 41, who lives next to the mosque, arrived at 6.30am with others to help rebuild it and was repairing the building wall when The National spoke to him.
"There were about 50 of us who came to help," Mr Reilly said.
"We came with mini-diggers, skips, anything we could to help tidy up and rebuild the walls. We are so sad and angry about what happened.
"Those people do not represent Southport. All we should be talking about is those little girls who lost their lives and thinking of their families."
Violent disorder spreads across the UK
More than 100 people were arrested at a protest that took place in London’s Whitehall on Wednesday evening.
Protesters threw flares towards the gates of Downing Street and chanted “Rule Britannia”, “save our kids” and “stop the boats”.
“This evening during a planned protest on Whitehall some disorder took place,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.
“Officers acted to ensure the disorder was contained.
“Over 100 people have been arrested for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions.
“Some officers suffered minor injuries.”
Police removed protesters near the Cenotaph after they breached an 8.30pm dispersal order
The area was littered with beer cans and glass bottles that had been thrown at officers.
There were also disturbances in Hartlepool and police in protective gear cordoned off streets in the town centre.
Four people were arrested after glass bottles and eggs were thrown at police by protesters.
Several officers suffered minor injuries responding to the disorder, Cleveland Police said.
“We currently have a high policing presence while officers respond to disorder that is taking place in Hartlepool following a protest that began this evening,” Chief Supt David Sutherland said.
“At this stage we believe the protest is in connection with the incident in Southport earlier this week.
“Our officers are facing missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them and have made arrests as they remain in the area to protect the safety of those living in the community.
“I want to urge members of the public to stay away from the area.”
Dangerous disinformation
Within hours of the killings on Monday morning, in which eight other children and two adults also suffered stab wounds, false information began to spread about the perpetrator and motive for the attack.
An account on X, using the name Channel3Now, which appears to be a news website, circulated the false rumour, which rapidly spread.
On Wednesday, the website posted a "sincere apology" for publishing inaccuracies.
Russian state media also falsely identified who it claimed was a suspect.
The rumours were also circulated by Tommy Robinson, the former EDL leader, and influencer Andrew Tate, both of whom have millions of followers.
Ms Cooper told the House of Commons it was important "people don't spread damaging misinformation online".
"False information has already been shared extensively in the past 24 hours," she said.
Shadow home secretary James Cleverly said social media companies needed to take tougher action to stop the spread of what he called disinformation.
Misinformation is getting facts wrong, whereas disinformation is sharing incorrect information with the deliberate intention to mislead.
“The violence we have seen in Southport is an insult to the memory of the victims of this heinous attack," Mr Cleverly said.
“These are not protesters fighting injustice, they are thugs fighting the police, tearing up a community that is already trying to process an unimaginable horror. They must be met with the full force of the law.
“We must have no truck with those spreading disinformation and fuelling conspiracy."
Patrick Hurley, the Labour MP for Southport, said the riots on Tuesday night occurred because of "propaganda and lies" spread on social media about the identity of the attacker.
Former MP Tobias Ellwood accused the leader of the populist anti-immigration Reform party, Nigel Farage, of helping to fuel the riots.
Mr Farage, also an MP, had said in a video posted on social media that he questioned the police describing the stabbings as not terror-related and wanted to know if the attacker had been on a terrorist watchlist.
Mr Ellwood called on Mr Farage to delete his video.
“I lost my brother to terrorism," he said.
“To ramp up hatred online by claiming the Southport attack was terrorist-related (culminating in riots, a mosque damaged and 27 police injured) is not just reprehensible but needs addressing.
"Otherwise it will happen again. Disgusted how a sitting MP [Mr Farage] deliberately inflames tensions without any justification."
Elsie's mother, Jenni Stancombe, wrote on Facebook on Tuesday night: “This is the only thing that I will write, but please, please stop the violence in Southport tonight.
“The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don’t need this.”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: "Speculation and some of the untruths that have been put around on social media, not only is that creating tensions and fear in the community, but it’s disrespectful to family who want answers about what really happened."
She said the government “will be looking at” whether the EDL should be proscribed under terrorism laws after the riot.
The spread of false information, possibly deliberately, is part of a wider issue in the UK around community spirit, said Emeka Forbes, head of cohesion at the Together coalition.
The group was founded by Brendan Cox, the widower of politician Jo Cox who was murdered by a far-right extremist Thomas Mair in June 2016.
“There is real challenge around community cohesion in this country. A lot of the disinformation is not the only source of the problem, it’s acting as a trigger,” Mr Cox said.
Islamophobia has become a "deep issue" in the UK and it was important for communities to come together rather than leave Muslims to deal with the problems alone, he said.
