LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to meet with senior police leaders on Thursday, following a second night of violent protests sparked by the deaths of three young girls in a knife attack at a dance class.
Thousands of anti-immigration protesters gathered near Starmer’s Downing Street office and residence on Wednesday evening, chanting slogans such as “save our kids” and “we want our country back.” The protests came after more than 50 police officers were injured in clashes in Southport, the English seaside town where the stabbings occurred on Monday.
The attacker, a 17-year-old male, is currently in police custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The incident took place during a “Taylor Swift yoga and dance workshop,” a summer event for children aged 6 to 11. Starmer’s office stated that he would offer the government’s full support to the police during Thursday’s meeting, following multiple high-profile incidents of extreme violence and public disorder.
“While the right to peaceful protest must be protected at all costs, he will be clear that criminals who exploit that right in order to sow hatred and carry out violent acts will face the full force of the law,” his office said.
The unrest was fueled by false information on social media claiming the suspect was a radical Islamist migrant. Police have confirmed that the attack was not terrorism-related and that the suspect was born in Britain, dispelling speculation about his origins.