UK- Major incident declared in Southport after multiple stabbings, 29 July 2024

[JennieM]

Rioters were from out of town, says police chief

Our colleagues on Radio 5 Live earlier spoke to the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell.

She says the rioters were from "out of town" - something local MP Patrick Hurley also said earlier.

"These individuals came into Southport, did not reflect the local population, and used the incident to incite violence and hatred, and it’s absolutely not something the people of Southport want or the families want," she says.

She adds: "My understanding from local people on the ground is that these were not local residents, these were individuals that came from out of town who had been stirred up online by the likes of the EDL [English Defence League], just looking for a fight."

Yoga teacher injured while 'shielding girls' in Southport attack recovering, family tells BBC

The family of Leanne Lucas, who ran the Taylor Swift-themed dance class, say she acted like a "hero" during the attack, in which three children were killed.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

Locals helping to clean up after late-night violence

Nicky Schiller
Reporting from Southport

I'm on the corner of Sussex Road and St Luke's Road watching a huge community effort to clean up the area after last night's violence.

There are a group of locals with brushes and brooms trying to clear up some of the debris. I heard one women say the dust that's lingering in the air "gets down your throat".

There are diggers and trucks being used to move some of the rubble, and all along the two streets, people are out doing what they can to clear up.

We've seen offers of help posted on social media from local businesses. This really feels like the people of Southport once again coming together.

Yoga teacher injured while 'shielding girls' in Southport attack recovering, family tells BBC

The family of Leanne Lucas, who ran the Taylor Swift-themed dance class, say she acted like a "hero" during the attack, in which three children were killed.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

Mother of girl stabbed to death in Southport calls for end to violence

Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, was killed alongside six-year-old Bebe King and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar in a horrific knife rampage on Monday at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop.

www.dailymail.co.uk

She said: 'This is the only thing that I will write, but please stop the violence in Southport tonight.

'The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don't need this.'

But as the community rallied together against the violence, Jenni Stancombe, the mother of little Elsie, pleaded for the violence to end on social media.

 

[katydid23]

On the basis of what we know at the moment I'm coming down on the side of this being a deliberately targetted attack rather the random killings of somebody suffering from a psychotic event. We know that he took a taxi straight to the venue, which argues in favour of this being targetted rather than random. The venue itself, The Hart Space, is on the first floor of the business centre. In British English that means that it's upstairs. He would have had to go into the business centre and go upstairs to The Hart Space, which again, makes this look like a targetted attack. But who has anything against primary school aged girls dancing to Taylor Swift and doing Yoga? That's the unfathomable thing. If it's the targetting of one particular child who was known to the perpetrator, that would be one way of making sense of this.

But who targets 8 yr old little girls? What could she possibly have done to him?

About The Space - The Hart Space

The Hart Space in Southport with classes everyday including antenatal and pregnancy, baby classes, yoga and more!

thehartspace.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

More than 50 officers injured, says Merseyside Police Federation

The chairman of the Merseyside Police Federation says it is "utterly disgusting" that more than 50 police officers were injured last night.

Chris McGlade says his "brave" colleagues sustained fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion.

The number of injured is higher than earlier reports of 39 injuries, with 27 officers taken to hospital.

McGlade adds that those involved will be "brought to justice for their actions".

Yoga teacher injured while 'shielding girls' in Southport attack recovering, family tells BBC

The family of Leanne Lucas, who ran the Taylor Swift-themed dance class, say she acted like a "hero" during the attack, in which three children were killed.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1818545911447830970

 

[WiseOwl]

Absolutely appalling.The police had cared for bleeding and traumatised children the day before. Then they are attacked and children who are already upset and scared are having to hide inside their houses.

It was appalling, there was no respect for the victims, their families, the police, paramedics, and the people of Southport. In fact, they have no respect for anyone, just mindless thugs.

Everyone's thoughts should be with the victims and their families this week, and nothing else.

 

[sidsloth]

I know it's pedantic, but not sure why the media keep reporting them as members of the EDL when this has been disbanded. Sure the ethos might align, but these people are being fed a narrative by social media and even through parties such as Reform who have MPs in parliament; why not refer to these instead of a defunct and disbanded organisation? This can't be addressed whilst the media refuse to actually report the truth or acknowledge who's fanning the flames.

I do find the rioting abhorrent, but honestly it's not at all surprising- this was just the match that lit the powder keg. It's all very well the government releasing statements about how terrible it is and how they'll feel the full force of the law, but nothing about how to actually address what's going on. It's going to snowball, as has been said the summer weather always exasperates things too- this isn't the first violent 'protest' or whatever we're calling it this year and won't be the last sadly.

I do think the law needs to catch up with social media in some regards, sure there are valid reasons why people under 18 aren't named until/if a court decides it appropriate; but sadly people are going to speculate and that makes things worse. Not sure of the answer mind, I don't think the law should be changed because of people on social media being ignorant, but it's clearly not something that's going to go away.

Its all very heartbreaking.

All JMO of course.

 

[dotr]

Jul 31, 2024 SOUTHPORT
Tributes have been paid to three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club, as hundreds of people gathered at a vigil to pay their respects.Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were all fatally stabbed in Southport, Merseyside, on Monday.Eight other children suffered stab wounds and five are in a critical condition, alongside two adults who were also critically injured, police said.

 

[cottonweaver]

More than 50 officers injured, says Merseyside Police Federation

The chairman of the Merseyside Police Federation says it is "utterly disgusting" that more than 50 police officers were injured last night.

Chris McGlade says his "brave" colleagues sustained fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion.

The number of injured is higher than earlier reports of 39 injuries, with 27 officers taken to hospital.

McGlade adds that those involved will be "brought to justice for their actions".

Yoga teacher injured while 'shielding girls' in Southport attack recovering, family tells BBC

The family of Leanne Lucas, who ran the Taylor Swift-themed dance class, say she acted like a "hero" during the attack, in which three children were killed.

www.bbc.co.uk

It really is heinous.

I also noticed - on 29 July - that the thinktank British Futures ( a respectable thinktank) & academics who specialise in tracking disinformation were tracking back the first development of the rumours about the attacker.

News website <modsnip - website referenced is not a news site but a content scraper & trouble maker> picked up data from X, from anti-vax far-right accounts and from Russian Youtube accounts. From there it was disseminated and posted everywhere. SMH.

 

[ZeroAlpha]

It really is heinous.

I also noticed - on 29 July - that the thinktank British Futures ( a respectable thinktank) & academics who specialise in tracking disinformation were tracking back the first development of the rumours about the attacker.

News website <modsnip - website referenced is not a news site but a content scraper & trouble maker> picked up data from X, from anti-vax far-right accounts and from Russian Youtube accounts. From there it was disseminated and posted everywhere. SMH.

Yep, Russia was pushing the false narrative heavily which was picked up immediately by right-wing groups and individuals on Twitter.

 

[worldwatcher]

At least, one arrested has being made, yesterday - shortly and at short distance from the vigil

"A report was received at 6.50pm that a man had been seen with a knife on Eastbank Street.

Officers attended and a man was detained at around 6.55pm, and a flick knife recovered.

There are no reports anyone was injured during the incident.

A 32-year-old man from Standish was arrested on suspicion of possession of a bladed article, and taken into custody."

https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ne...uly/man-arrested-after-incident-in-southport/

 

[ZeroAlpha]

I know it's pedantic, but not sure why the media keep reporting them as members of the EDL when this has been disbanded. Sure the ethos might align, but these people are being fed a narrative by social media and even through parties such as Reform who have MPs in parliament; why not refer to these instead of a defunct and disbanded organisation? This can't be addressed whilst the media refuse to actually report the truth or acknowledge who's fanning the flames.

I do find the rioting abhorrent, but honestly it's not at all surprising- this was just the match that lit the powder keg. It's all very well the government releasing statements about how terrible it is and how they'll feel the full force of the law, but nothing about how to actually address what's going on. It's going to snowball, as has been said the summer weather always exasperates things too- this isn't the first violent 'protest' or whatever we're calling it this year and won't be the last sadly.

I do think the law needs to catch up with social media in some regards, sure there are valid reasons why people under 18 aren't named until/if a court decides it appropriate; but sadly people are going to speculate and that makes things worse. Not sure of the answer mind, I don't think the law should be changed because of people on social media being ignorant, but it's clearly not something that's going to go away.

Its all very heartbreaking.

All JMO of course.

We are also in the midst of an information war which doesn't help matters. Anything that can undermine people's trust in government/authorities etc or forward extremist views is the goal.

 

[cottonweaver]

Yep, Russia was pushing the false narrative heavily which was picked up immediately by right-wing groups and individuals on Twitter.

I also saw it on WS before it was removed

What's that old saying?
Something like ' if you don't use your head... others will (use it) '

 

[jackal67]

I do suspect that in hindsight propping that door open may have been against protocol, even though it is understandable when it is as warm as it is. UK buildings are designed to keep heat in, with the temp as they are currently I can very imagine that room was boiling and with no air movement.

I agree most dont have aircon. Have to use fans same as at home.

 

[jackal67]

Especially in a dance and movement program a couple of hours long, the risk of heat related illness would be far higher than a random knife attacker. The studio just got the worst luck, for this to happen there, to them. They weren't negligent, the door was ajar to try to prevent those kids from being harmed. This wasn't a threat they could anticipate... There was no warning, it was like lightning from a clear sky, indiscriminate and brutal.

MOO

Unfortunately though I suspect there will likely be a H & S investigation . There are many safeguarding rules around children and settings that children attend. and Parents may well be wanting answers too ?

 

[Yellowbelly]

I wouldn't look for precise motive.

It might be the attacker doesn't know it himself.

It is probably a mixture of
rage, feeling of unfulfillment, disappointment, failure, some kind of injustice,
etc, etc.

Plus MH issues
probably not treated.

JMO

I suspect something like this may well turn out to be the case. Unresolved mental health issues leading to the sort of intense paranoia which in countries with more ready access to firearms leads to school shootings.

Being a British person of a certain age, this tragedy reminds me of the Dunblane massacre. We are looking for connections between the attacker and the victims, but perhaps there aren't any. Thomas Hamilton had no connection to the school, the staff or the pupils. He shot himself and didn't leave a note so we don't know precisely why he did it, but it seems that his sense of victimhood and paranoia were so intense that killing a primary school class was his way of taking revenge on the local 'establishment'.

Thankfully the attacker here has been taken alive, so the police should be able to find out what has led up to this, and it should be revealed at the subsequent trial.

Dunblane massacre - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[jackal67]

I totally agree. I think the perpetrator is the only one at fault ,not the fact that the adults left a door open.

Of course the perpetrator was at fault but lessons will have to be learned from this horrendous episode unfortunately
I am not blaming anyone for the door being left open but sadly the world we live in is just not safe and children need to be protected all costs
If this had occurred at a school or registered childcare setting it may well result in criminal charges if protocol wasn't followed correctly MOO

 

[Dotta]

"Protesters barricaded themselves down a side street, dragging bins from a pub and industrial unit to provide more missiles to throw at police.

Others turned on a nearby mosque, throwing bricks through the windows, and later, as darkness fell, one group of men ripped up a driveway to arm themselves with stones to throw at police, while across the road, another group tried to force entry to a corner shop.

As darkness fell, smaller groups dispersed and roamed the streets, setting fires in the road. Residents’ walls and fences were pulled down; the bricks used as missiles, and the wooden panels added to the fire."

Keir Starmer says Southport rioters will feel ‘full force of the law’

Far-right protesters threw bricks at officers, set vehicles on fire and attacked mosque

www.theguardian.com

 

[Inthedetails]

But who targets 8 yr old little girls? What could she possibly have done to him?

Who would target innocent little kids? A young man obsessed with little girls and/or Taylor Swift continues to be my theory.

I think he knew about the event not because it randomly appeared on his social media feed, but because he notices where little girls are in his area.

I think he hated is own obsessions so the objects of his fantasies had to be punished.

Armchair analysis, worth what you paid for it.

I'm unfamiliar with how things work in UK during an investigation - will info be released to the public or do they hold it all until trial??

jmo