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."
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."
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