Police arrest seven after 53 officers injured during Southport disorder

ITV News Correspondent Stacey Foster reports from Southport as the police continue to arrest people involved in Tuesday's disorder

A seventh arrest has been made after more than 50 police officers were injured during the unrest in Southport on Tuesday night.

Merseyside Police Federation said it is "utterly disgusted" that officers have been left with injuries including fractures, lacerations, and concussions following the disorder that broke out in the town.

The force said those involved in the unrest – who they believe included supporters of the English Defence League – set alight cars belonging to members of the public, threw bricks at the local mosque, damaged a local convenience store, and set wheelie bins on fire.

The disorder came as tensions rose over the stabbing attack on Monday that left three children dead and more injured.

One of the men arrested was detained after officers were called to a domestic incident and police recognised him from footage taken on Tuesday night.

He was taken to hospital with a head injury where he reportedly racially abused a fellow patient.

Police have warned more disorder could come in the wake of the stabbings, with officers detaining more than a dozen protesters outside Whitehall in London on Wednesday night.

Officers could be seen wrestling protesters to the ground around the Cenotaph after they attempted to disperse the crowd.

Protests were also reported in Manchester and Hartlepool on Wednesday night.

Chair of Merseyside Police Federation Chris McGlade said: "Merseyside is reeling from an unimaginable tragedy, an incident that has left us all shocked as human beings.

"We are equally shocked as police officers.

"The very same courageous officers who are themselves trying to come to terms with what has happened in Southport this week came under a sustained and vicious attack last night.

"It is utterly disgusting that more than 50 police officers were injured. Brave colleagues have been left with fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion.

"I utterly condemn the actions of these mindless and violent thugs - and they will be brought to justice for their actions."

Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club.

Eight other children were also stabbed, with five children and two adults left in a critical condition.

Unrest broke out near the town’s mosque leaving 49 Merseyside officers and four from Lancashire injured, as well as three police dogs that were hurt.

Merseyside police said garden walls were broken down by protesters who threw bricks at officers and the local mosque.

In a post on social media, the force said shops had been “broken into and looted”, adding that “those responsible will be brought to justice”.

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Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable, Alex Goss, said: “Merseyside Police has faced serious violence in Southport and I am so proud to have witnessed off-duty officers (many of whom had not long finished a full shift) parade back on duty to support their colleagues who had displayed such courage whilst under constant and sustained attack.

“I would also like to thank officers from Greater Manchester Police, Cheshire Police, Lancashire Police and North Wales Police who also provided mutual aid and support.

“Sadly, offenders have destroyed garden walls so they could use the bricks to attack our officers and have set cars belonging to the public on fire, and damaged cars parked in the mosque car park.”

A clean-up operation began on Wednesday morning

He added: “This is no way to treat a community, least of all a community that is still reeling from the events of Monday.”

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder following the incident at the dance studio in Hart Street.

Police have been granted more time to question him.

The Muslim Council of Britain says Islamaphobic backlash began with a false rumour on the internet which was then stoked by misinformation from a Russian news site, which wrongfully associated the crime with Muslims.

The MCB paid tribute to the three young girls killed in Southport on Monday, before condemning “shocking scenes of far-right rioters running amok outside a mosque”.

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