UK: Far-Right mob riots outside Mosque in Southport following misinformation campaign
Southport, UK: A far-right mob rioted outside a mosque in Southport on Tuesday, setting a police van on fire following a misinformation campaign that falsely claimed the 17-year-old suspect in a recent fatal stabbing was a Muslim.
The rioters, chanting racist and Islamophobic slogans such as “English till I die,” pelted stones, bricks, and bins at riot police. The Southport Islamic Society Mosque sustained damage during the unrest.
The violence erupted after a vigil was held to remember the victims of a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on Monday. The attack resulted in the deaths of three children: Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven. Eight other children and two adults suffered stab wounds, with five children remaining in critical condition.
According to BBC News, the 17-year-old suspect, who cannot be legally identified due to his age, was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents and moved to Southport in 2013. Despite these facts, a massive misinformation campaign falsely claimed the suspect was a Muslim, leading to the violent backlash.
Muslim groups in the UK condemned the attack. The Muslim Association of Britain stated, “Weaponising the tragic killings of innocent children in such an overt display of Islamophobia is horrific.”
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer denounced the violence, stating, “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 posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Merseyside Police condemned the violence, reporting that one officer suffered a suspected broken nose. Photos and videos on social media showed riot police with cuts and grazes following clashes with the mob.
“At around 7.45 pm, a large group of people – believed to be supporters of the English Defence League – began to throw items towards a local mosque on St Luke’s Road in Southport,” the police stated.
Misinformation expert Marc Owen Jones reported that posts speculating or falsely claiming the attacker was a Muslim, migrant, refugee, or foreigner generated at least 27 million impressions. Several major social media accounts, including influencer Andrew Tate, also propagated the false claim that the attacker was an illegal immigrant.
The North West Ambulance Service reported that 39 police officers were injured during the unrest, which occurred just hours after the vigil for the knife attack victims.
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First-ever life-size Vivekananda statue in US unveiled in Seattle
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New York (PTI): The first-ever life-size statue of Swami Vivekananda in the US was unveiled in Seattle, honouring the renowned Indian philosopher and spiritual leader.
The life-size bronze statue, installed at the busy Westlake Square in downtown Seattle, is the first such installation hosted by a city government anywhere in the US, officials said.
Sculpted by Indian artist Naresh Kumar Kumawat, it was jointly unveiled on Saturday by Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and Consul General of India in Seattle Prakash Gupta.
"From Chicago 1893 to Seattle 2026! Seattle's skyline has a new Indian icon: Swami Vivekananda! City of Seattle becomes the first city government to host the Swami Vivekananda Monument in the heart of downtown Seattle," the Consulate General of India in Seattle said in a social media post.
Addressing the event, Wilson said the monument reflects Seattle's inclusive spirit and strengthens cultural ties between India and the diverse metropolitan tech hub in the US Pacific Northwest.
The statue has been gifted by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) to the City of Seattle in recognition of its "in recognition of the city’s rich multicultural character and spirit of inclusivity", the Indian mission in Seattle said in a statement.
The unveiling of the statue was held on the occasion of the celebration of ICCR Day and is part of India's broader cultural diplomacy initiatives aimed at strengthening people-to-people ties between India and the US Pacific Northwest, the Consulate said.
Located at the bustling Westlake Square, which sees over 400,000 visitors daily, the monument stands near prominent landmarks including the Amazon headquarters ‘Spheres’, the Seattle Convention Centre and the Seattle Centre Monorail.
The unveiling ceremony was attended by several local leaders, including mayors from cities in the Greater Seattle area, community representatives and members of the Indian-American diaspora.
Swami Vivekananda had delivered his historic address at the World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, introducing Hindu philosophy to a global audience.
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