By Manon Cruz and Kylie MacLellan, Reuters
Handout pictures released by Merseyside Police in London on 30 July, 2024, of nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar (left), seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and six-year-old Bebe King. Photo: AFP PHOTO / Merseyside Police
A 17-year-old boy has appeared in an English court on Thursday (local time) charged with the murder of three young girls in a knife attack at a summer dance class that has shocked the nation and sparked two nights of violent protests.
Axel Rudakubana first appeared at Liverpool Magistrates' Court over Monday's incident at a "Taylor Swift yoga and dance workshop" summer vacation event for children in the seaside town of Southport.
He is charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and one of possession of a bladed article.
His case was later heard at Liverpool Crown Court, where he sat in the dock covering his face with a grey sweatshirt and did not speak to confirm his name.
Judge Andrew Menary did not impose reporting restrictions on Rudakubana's identity, which had not previously been reported as he is under 18. Rudakubana was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing in October.
Large disturbances broke out in Southport, a town in England's northwest, on Tuesday after false information was spread on social media that the suspect in the stabbings was a radical Islamist migrant, with anti-immigrant protesters descending on Southport town from elsewhere.
Police have said the attack was not terrorism-related and that the suspect was born in Britain, quashing speculation on his origins.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with police leaders on Thursday to offer them the government's full backing following violent clashes with protesters in Southport and London.
"As far as the far-right is concerned, this is coordinated, this is deliberate," Starmer told a press conference. "This is not a protest that just got out of hand. It is a group of individuals who are absolutely bent on violence."
Starmer said the government was establishing a national unit across police forces to tackle violent disorder including shared intelligence, wider deployment of facial recognition technology and preventative action such as orders to restrict the movement of persistent offenders.
He also warned social media companies: "Violent disorder, clearly whipped up online, that is also a crime and it is happening on your premises and the law must be upheld everywhere."
Protestors remonstrate with police officers on Whitehall, outside the entrance to 10 Downing Street in central London on 31 July, 2024, held in reaction to the fatal stabbings in Southport on 29 July. Photo: AFP / Benjamin Cremel
Protesters arrested
Thousands gathered near Starmer's Downing Street office and residence in London on Wednesday evening, shouting, "Save our kids", "We want our country back" and "Stop the boats".
Protesters also threw flares and smoke canisters towards Downing Street. London's Metropolitan Police said 111 people had been arrested for offences including violent disorder and assaults on police officers. Five officers were injured.
On Tuesday, more than 50 police officers were hurt in protests in Southport, when demonstrators set police vans on fire and dismantled garden walls to hurl bricks at officers.
As well as the killing of three girls aged six to nine, Monday's attack in the normally quiet town left eight other children and two adults with stab wounds.
Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust said in a statement on Thursday that two of the children had been discharged from hospital.
"We continue to treat five children involved in the devastating incident in Southport on Monday, including one recently transferred to us from Aintree University Hospital," the trust said. "All the children in our care are currently in a stable condition."
Hundreds of people in the community have taken part in vigils to mourn the slain children, and laid bouquets of flowers at the site of the incident.
- Reuters