THOUSANDS of mourners gathered at a vigil in Southport, Merseyside, on Tuesday evening, after a fatal knife attack on a children’s dance class the previous morning (News, 30 July).
Two girls, Bebe King, aged six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, aged seven, died on Monday. A third girl, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, aged nine, died from her injuries in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday, Merseyside Police said. Five other children and two adults who were hospitalised remain in a critical condition.
The stabbings happened at a fully booked summer-holiday dance and yoga class at the Hart Space studio, about one mile east of the town centre. Merseyside Police said in a statement on Wednesday that a 17-year-old male had been charged with the murders, ten counts of attempted murder, and possession of a bladed article.
On Thursday, a reporting restriction on the name of the suspect was lifted. It was reported that Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, who is from the Lancashire village of Banks and was born in Cardiff, had appeared in Liverpool Crown Court. He is due to turn 18 next Wednesday (7 August).
The Recorder of Liverpool, His Hon. Judge Menary KC, said: “Continuing to prevent the full reporting has the disadvantage of allowing others to spread misinformation in a vacuum. Whilst I accept it is exceptional given his age, principally because he is 18 in six days’ time, I do not make an order under section 45.”
The Chief Constable of Merseyside, Serena Kennedy, had said on Wednesday: “Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW).”
At the same time as the vigil on Tuesday, a protest was held outside a mosque, which turned violent. Mersyside Police reported: “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.”
Police officers had been deployed, and, “as a result, an officer has suffered a suspected broken nose and police vehicles have been damaged and set alight.”
Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss said: “It is sickening to see this happening within a community that has been devastated by the tragic loss of three young lives.
“In the last 24 hours, we have seen overwhelming support and sympathy from the community and wider Merseyside communities for the families. . . The actions in Southport tonight will involve many people who do not live in the Merseyside area or care about the people of Merseyside.
“There has been much speculation and hypothesis around the status of a 17-year-old male who is currently in police custody and some individuals are using this to bring violence and disorder to our streets. We have already said that the person arrested was born in the UK and speculation helps nobody at this time.”
The next morning, members of the community rebuilt a wall and helped to clear up other damage.
The Liverpool Religion Mosque Network said in a statement: “A minority of people are attempting to portray that this inhumane act is somehow related to the Muslim community. Frankly, it is not, and we must not let those who seek to divide us and spread hatred treat this as an opportunity.”
The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, who had laid flowers at the police cordon on Tuesday morning, responded: “The scenes of thuggery we have seen on the streets of Southport this evening bear no relation to the way the Southport community has been coming together to support each other and to support grieving families.”
On Wednesday, the protests spread to Hartlepool and London, where more than 100 people were arrested.
The Archbishop of Canterbury wrote on social media on Thursday: “Those using the appalling stabbings in Southport to incite and commit violence against Muslim and asylum-seeker communities should be deeply ashamed. These actions only dishonour the grieving families — people facing the worst time of their lives.
“I continue to pray for all those affected, and for all those dedicating their time to rebuilding and peacemaking. I give thanks in particular for churches and other local faith groups in Southport and elsewhere, who are doing so much to bring their communities together.”
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday afternoon, the Prime Minister condemned those who had committed acts of violence in the aftermath of the attack. “The community of Southport had to suffer twice,” he said. “A gang of thugs got on trains and buses, went to a community that is not their own, a community grieving the most horrific tragedy, and then proceeded to throw bricks at police officers — police officers — who, just 24 hours earlier, had been having to deal with an attack on children in their community.”
He continued: “And make no mistake, whether it’s in Southport, London, or Hartlepool, these people are showing our country exactly who they are. Mosques targeted because they are Mosques. Flares thrown at the statue of Winston Churchill. A Nazi salute at the Cenotaph.
“And so I’ve just held a meeting with senior police and law-enforcement leaders, where we’ve resolved to show who we are: a country that will not allow understandable fear to curdle into division and hate in our communities, and that will not permit, under any circumstances, a breakdown in law and order on our streets.
“Because let’s be very clear about this. It’s not protest. It’s not legitimate. It’s crime: violent disorder, an assault on the rule of law and the execution of justice.”
A JustGiving page set up by the community to support the families affected has accrued donations totalling more than £300,000, after an original target was set of £13,000. The funds will be donated to the Alder Hey Children’s Charity, to provide support with funeral costs.