Violent riots erupt across UK after three girls died in Southport stabbings

England footballer Anthony Gordon has reportedly donated £10,000 to a fundraiser for the victims of the knife attack.

The 23-year-old left player from Liverpool gave the money to a GoFundMe page – the largest single donation the campaign has received, The Sun reports.

Another fundraiser for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital on JustGiving has raised almost £330,000 for the families affected by the tragedy.

The victims of the knife rampage were attending a Taylor Swift-themed summer dance party at Hart Space Studios which eyewitnesses described as ‘the biggest, horrific thing you could ever witness.’

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with the murders of Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.

He is also facing ten attempted murder charges, and he is due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates Court later today.

Over 100 people have been arrested in central London after further violence following the Southport stabbings.

Protests broke out across the UK, including in Hartlepool, Manchester, Aldershot and Downing Street.

Hundreds of people had gathered opposite Downing Street at 7pm yesterdaywhere they were only allowed to stayuntil 8.30pm under the police dispersal order.

A police car was set on fire after a large group of people had gathered in Hartlepool’s Murray Street area.

The protest at Downing Street was titled Enough is Enough as a large group of people clashed with the police, leading to more than 100 arrests.

The Met Police said: ‘Over 100 people have been arrested for offences including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions. Some officers suffered minor injuries.’

Protesters threw beer cans and glass bottles at a line of officers in riot gear while flares were thrown onto the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

Chants of ‘we want our country back’ and ‘Oh Tommy Robinson’ were heard, referring to the right-wing activist who is believed to have fled the UK before he was due in High Court.

In Manchester, protesters gathered outside the Holiday Inn which spilled into Oldham Road, with police tactical units called in to break up the demonstration, the MEN reports.

Cleveland Police have now confirmed four people have been arrested amid disorder in Hartlepool, and several officers have suffered minor injuries.

Chief Superintendent David Sutherland said: ‘We currently have a high policing presence while officers respond to disorder that is taking place in Hartlepool following a protest that began this evening.

‘At this stage we believe the protest is in connection with the incident in Southport earlier this week.

‘Our officers are facing missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them and have made arrests as they remain in the area to protect the safety of those living in the community.

‘I want to urge members of the public to stay away from the area.’

A man has been charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

He was detained in Eastbank Street at around 6.55pm on Tuesday and a knife was recovered.

Jordan Davies, 32, of Portland Street, Southport, has been charged with possession of a knife, blade or sharp-pointed article in a public place.

He will appear at Wirral Adult Remand Court on Thursday.

Merseyside Police has arrested a fifth person in connection with the Southport riots on Tuesday night.

Officers were called to a domestic incident earlier today, where a man reportedly made threats to a male family member.

The suspect was taken to hospital to treat a head injury – and police then recognised the man from video of the disorder on Tuesday.

The man is alleged to have thrown rocks at officers and hit a police van. He’s believed to have sustained his head injury during the disorder.

The suspect, aged 39 and from Southport, was also alleged to have racially abused another patient while in hospital.

He was arrested on suspicion of violent disorder, threats to kill and a racially aggravated public order offence. 

He was taken into custody to be interviewed and has now been conditionally bailed.

Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss said: ‘Our work to identify all those responsible for the despicable violence and aggression seen on the streets of Southport on Tuesday continues.

‘We have been inundated with images and footage from members of the public who were outraged at the destruction carried out.

‘The individuals involved in the disorder had no regard for the families and friends of those who so tragically lost their lives, and a community in grief.

‘It has been heartening today to see the reaction of the whole community, who have pulled together to clean the streets, rebuild walls and re-glaze broken windows.’

A spokesperson for Hartlepool Police said: ‘There remains a policing presence in the Murray Street area while officers deal with disorder after responding to a protest – several arrests have already been made.

‘The road is still closed and people are advised to avoid the area.’

The town’s MP, Jonathan Brash, said: ‘I’m deeply concerned about the situation that is developing in Hartlepool this evening.

‘I will be meeting with police to discuss the response to this incident and would urge calm to allow our emergency services to do their job.

‘These events do not represent what Hartlepool is or the values that our people hold. Violence is never the answer.’

Scenes of violence where protesters set vans alight and attacked a mosque have led to tougher police powers being introduced in Southport.

Extra police will patrol the area as part of a Section 60 Order in place there until Thursday, having been introduced at 5pm today.

This gives police more powers to stop and search people in an effort to reduce violence.

Community Inspector Doug Chadwick said: ‘The scenes we saw last night in Southport were disgraceful, and these extra powers to stop and search people suspected of carrying weapons or planning any criminality are just one tool at our disposal as we seek to keep the public safe.

‘We are asking for the help of a community we know was left shocked and disappointed by the actions of those who engaged in disorder last night.

‘You can be our eyes and ears and tell us what you have seen so that we can take positive action.

‘People living in Southport can expect to see a continued and visible police presence.

‘I hope their continued presence is reassuring, and I would ask anyone with concerns to speak to our officers.’

There are ‘full on riots’ in Hartlepool, County Durham, where protesters have thrown bricks at police.

Officers wielding riot shields have charged crowds in an attempt to clear them from the streets.

An eyewitness said: ‘There’s a full on riot at the other end of the street. All the roads over there are blocked. They’re throwing bricks.’

One resident said: ‘I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.’

It’s not clear whether this is linked with the stabbings in Southport, in which four young girls died, or with the protest in London tonight.

A line of officers are slowly marching protesters towards Trafalgar Square in an attempt to disperse the crowd.

The static was supposed to end at 8.30pm, according to restrictions imposed by the Met Police.

Some protesters have been wrestled to the ground and led away in handcuffs after they confronted riot police.

Jonathan Brown has had something of a fall from grace – from policing the streets to cackling as his former colleagues’ van was set on fire.

All it took was getting caught buying cocaine outside a pub while he was looking after his three-year-old daughter, leading to his resignation last year.

Brown could be seen laughing and smiling as the violence and flames broke out during a live stream of the riot in Southport on Tuesday night, the Liverpool Echo reported.

He quit Merseyside Police after being caught by drugs in August 2022, for which has was charged and fined £475 after admitting possession of a Class A drug.

Chief Constable Serena Kennedy concluded he would have been sacked for gross misconduct if he hadn’t resigned, meaning he’s been barred from holding any policing job in the future.

Martin Daubney was seen being handcuffed by police before he was released a short time later.

He appears to say, ‘I’m just trying to do my job, I have no problem with the police’, after his arms are released from behind his back.

The former magazine editor briefly served as a Member of the European Parliament for Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.

Daubney later became deputy leader of Laurence Fox’s Reclaim Party. He now works as a presenter on GB News.

Far-right protests often draw accusations of being an excuse for a boozy day out.

That accusation was certainly levelled at the rioters in Southport last night.

In London, demonstrators have been pictured with their fists wrapped firmly around cans of beer.

One protester had a whole armful of Stella Artois.

A protester has been pictured biting the hand of a police officer during the demonstration near Downing Street.

The man appears to have the gloved thumb of an officer in his mouth. They are separated by a metal barrier.

Police have now detained more than 12 protesters, with many led away in handcuffs.

At least one man has been detained during the protest in Whitehall.

Police wrestled a man wearing a balaclava off the road and onto the pavement.

Demonstrators gathered outside Downing Street for what they claimed was a protest over the stabbings in Southport.

Although some protesters can be heard talking about knife crime getting out of control, most of the slogans are of a different nature.

‘Stop the boats’, says one banner unfurled at the protest, hinting out misinformation spread online claiming the suspect, from Cardiff, is an asylum seeker who arrived by boat last year.

Protesters can be heard chanting the name of former EDL leader Tommy Robinson, along with chants of ‘England til’ I die’ and ‘terrorists out of our country’.

Some have thrown beer cans and glass bottles at riot police, and flares at a statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.

Officers could earlier be heard trying to herd protesters off the road and into a spot designated for them until 8.30pm.

But protesters have decided to march down the road instead.

Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon, who played with England at the Euros this year, has donated £10,000 to a GoFundMe campaign this evening.

Gordon, who is originally from Liverpool, is now the top donor to the fundraiser launched to support the families of victims in Monday’s stabbing.

More than £47,000 have so far been raised, with a target of £50,000.

Neighbours of the alleged Southport stabbing suspect saw a man ‘pacing’ outside a house before he got into a taxi around 11.30am on Monday.

Residents told the Liverpool Echo they’d seen the taxi pull up when they watched their Ring doorbell footage.

The stabbing at The Hart Space happened shortly before midday.

The local council has assured people that ‘there is no disruption or disorder’ in Southport so far this afternoon.

But Merseyside Police is on high alert due to a risk of repeat violence in Southport after last night’s riot.

Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: ‘I am absolutely concerned about repeats, there is that misinformation out there on social media, but please be reassured we are absolutely planning for that, please be reassured that we are planning for what might take place this evening and over the weekend.

‘We were really supported by colleagues from other forces last night and that support is available to us again.’

Four men have now been arrested after a far-right rioters raged on the streets of Southport last night.

Merseyside Police said four men have been arrested and taken into custody after the far-right English Defence League hijacked a vigil being held for the stabbing victims.

They added the disorder began at around 7.45pm and the crowd left by about midnight.

A total of four men have been arrested and taken into custody.

A 31-year-old man from St Helens was arrested on suspicion of Violent Disorder

A 31-year-old man from West Derby, Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of Violent Disorder

A 39-year-old man from Southport was arrested on suspicion of Violent Disorder

A 32-year-old man from Manchester with a probation address in Southport was arrested on suspicion of Affray and Possession of a bladed article

Police said the rioters destroyed garden walls to use the bricks as missiles to attack officers and randomly set cars belonging to the public on fire.

They also threw bricks at the local Mosque, damaged a local convenience shop, and set wheelie bins on fire.

Three police dogs were also injured. Police Dog Zoe sustained a cuts to her leg, has been stitched and is now resting. Police Dog Ike is recovering after getting cuts to his mouth and swelling to his front leg.

Police Dog Quga suffered burns to her back leg. A fourth dog, Police Dog Repo, was spared injury after his handler kicked petrol away from him.