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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Punjab: Blast near army cantt area in Amritsar, hours after explosion in Jalandhar
Chandigarh (PTI): An explosion occurred near the army cantonment area in Khasa late Tuesday night in Punjab's Amritsar, the second such incident which took place around three hours after a blast outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar.
According to the police, an investigation into both blast incidents is currently underway, and no injuries have been reported.
The first explosion happened around 8 pm in Jalandhar, while the second blast occurred at approximately 11 pm in Amritsar.
Amritsar (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police Suhail Mir Qasim stated that police received reports of a loud sound at around 11 pm on a road in Khasa. "Our teams arrived on the scene immediately," he said.
Preliminary inspections indicated that someone had thrown an explosive device towards the boundary wall, leading to the explosion, according to the SSP.
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Police mentioned that a piece of a tin sheet covering the boundary wall had fallen as a result of the blast.
Following the explosion, a team of forensic and bomb disposal squad visited the site to collect samples.
Amritsar Rural Superintendent of Police Aditya S. Warrier, who also visited the scene, confirmed that further investigations are ongoing. Police added that a team of army officials also assessed the situation, after which the area was cordoned off.
CCTV footage from the vicinity shows the explosion occurring at night. A local villager reported that his family was awakened by the loud sound and came outside their home to see what had happened.
Before the Amritsar explosion, a blast took place outside the headquarters of the Border Security Force's Punjab Frontier in Jalandhar district around 8 pm on Tuesday, causing panic in the area.
CCTV footage captured the explosion, which resulted in a cloud of smoke. An unidentified man was seen running for cover following the blast.
The blast ripped apart a scooter, damaged a traffic signal pole and windowpanes of a nearby shop. Locals recounted that the scooter, which was parked outside the BSF headquarters, Punjab Frontier, caught fire shortly after a loud sound. It belonged to Gurpreet Singh, who regularly delivers parcels in the area.
Talking to reporters on Tuesday night, one of Gurpreet's relatives said that the scooter caught fire as he was approaching it. He immediately called his father and informed him about the incident.
Jalandhar Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur confirmed to reporters late Tuesday that an Activa scooter parked near the gate caught fire suddenly. She stated that Gurpreet is fully cooperating with the investigation.
Witnesses nearby reported hearing a loud sound following the explosion.
On April 27, an explosion occurred at a freight corridor rail track in Shambhu in Patiala. Police had arrested four members of a pro-Khalistan terror module, backed by Pakistan's ISI, for the blast.
In light of these incidents, opposition parties have condemned the AAP government for its handling of the situation.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who also holds the home portfolio, over the recent blasts.
"Three blasts in 10 days, two in a single day, May 5: Jalandhar outside BSF headquarters and Sri Amritsar Sahib Army area, April 27: Rajpura rail track. Continued intelligence failures and the collapse of law and order are a matter of grave concern. Chief Minister @BhagwantMann, who is also the state Home Minister, is busy with mimicry and cheap politics. He has forfeited the right to remain in office," Badal said in a post on X.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring also slammed the Mann government over the two blasts.
"Back-to-back blasts have shaken Punjab. Yesterday in Jalandhar, and now near Khasa Camp in Amritsar, this is deeply alarming. Who is trying to destabilise our state? Why has the Punjab Government failed to prevent such incidents? What is the Government of India doing? Repeated lapses point to a serious breakdown of intelligence and security. Punjab's peace cannot be compromised. We demand accountability and immediate action," Warring said in a post on X.
