More than 100 arrests in London protest after Southport attack
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More than 100 people have been arrested in a protest in central London following a fatal knife attack and subsequent riot in Southport, the Metropolitan Police has said.
The Met said it made arrests for a range of offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions on Wednesday evening.
Police clashed with protesters on Whitehall, close to Downing Street, during a demonstration following the fatal stabbings of three girls at Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on Monday.
In a statement the Met said officers were deployed to “ensure disorder was contained” but added that some “suffered minor injuries”.
Demonstrators were seen launching flares towards the gates of Downing Street and at a statue of Winston Churchill.
People could be heard chanting phrases such as “stop the boats” and “save our kids” as they threw bottles and cans at officers.
Earlier, the Met said conditions placed on the protest had been breached.
Several officers were also injured in separate disorder in Hartlepool, Cleveland Police said after violence broke out in the town.
Four people were arrested after glass bottles and eggs were thrown at police by protesters. A police car was also set on fire.
Ch Supt David Sutherland said: “At this stage we believe the protest is in connection with the incident in Southport earlier this week.”
Wednesday’s disorder followed unrest near a mosque in Southport on Tuesday night, during which the building was attacked.
Merseyside Police officers were also pelted with bricks and a police van was set on fire.
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The disorder came after Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed on Monday while attending a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport.
Eight other children suffered knife wounds – with five of them in a critical condition – while two adults were also critically hurt.
Early on Thursday morning, a 17-year-old boy was charged by Merseyside Police with three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will appear at Liverpool City Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
