Far-right protesters took to the streets of Southport, England last night in the wake of a deadly knife attack that occurred on Monday at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop for kids.
'Keep Smiling and Dancing': Children Attacked at Taylor Swift-Themed Dance Class Remembered
Following a vigil held for the young victims — Bebe King, 6; Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7; and Alice Aguiar, 9 — masked protestors threw glass bottles and bricks at police officers and attacked the Southport Islamic Society Mosque. Local emergency services treated 39 police officers for injuries sustained during the protest, according to the North West Ambulance Service, and three police dogs were also injured.
“The people of Southport are reeling after the horror inflicted on them yesterday,” British prime minister Keir Starmer wrote in a statement on X . “They deserve our support and our respect. 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.”
Local MP Patrick Hurley told the BBC the rioters “were thugs who’d got the train in,” not residents of the Southport community. He added they were “utterly disrespecting the families of the dead and injured children, and utterly disrespecting the town.”
Following the knife attack on Monday, which took place at Hart Space, a community hub used for yoga classes and antenatal workshops, police arrested a 17-year-old male on suspicion of murder. Authorities have not released the suspect’s name yet due to his age, although the BBC said it had learned that the suspect was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents and moved to Southport — which is north of Liverpool — in 2013.
Rampant speculation about the identity of the attacker has taken over social media, with many sharing misinformation about his religion and name. The main source of a false name of the attacker appears to be a website called Channel 3 Now, although many social media users have shared it. The far-right protestors have latched onto the idea that the attacker is Muslim as a way to criticize immigration, a hot button issue in the U.K.
Taylor Swift Distraught After Knife Attack at Dance Class Set to Her Music: 'These Were Just Little Kids'
On Tuesday, British home secretary Yvette Cooper urged the public to avoid “unhelpful” speculation about the attack. “Above all, this is about young children,” she said. “This is about children and their families who will be grieving, and the many other children who were involved yesterday who will be facing great trauma as well.”
So far three children have died and eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack, with five of them still in critical condition. Two adults also remain in critical condition.
Following the attack, Swift expressed her deep sorrow and dismay on Instagram. “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock,” Swift wrote. “The loss of life and innocence and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families, and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
Swift’s fans have set up a crowdfunding effort in connection with Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. Per a description, the JustGiving page will raise money for the families affected by the attack, as well as funeral funds.
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