Thousands gather in London after the Southport killings sparked a second night of protests

Protesters clashed with police near Downing Street in London on Wednesday as Britain faced a second night of protests after three young girls were killed in a frenzied knife attack at a dance class.

Thousands gathered near the prime minister’s residence chanting “save our children”. “We want our country back” and “stop the boats” as well as English football chants.

A large number of police wearing helmets formed a cordon around the protesters, who earlier threw flares and smoke bombs towards Downing Street.

Police also braced for further trouble in the English seaside town of Southport, where Monday’s stabbings took place. More than 50 police officers were injured on Tuesday night in violent clashes.

A 17-year-old man was taken into custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after Monday’s bloodbath at a Taylor Swift yoga and dance workshop, a summer vacation event for children ages 6 to 11.

Riots broke out in Southport on Tuesday after false information was spread on social media that the suspect behind Monday’s stabbings was a radical Islamist immigrant.

Police vans were set on fire and protesters threw bricks, bottles and fireworks at police officers and cars parked at the city’s mosque.

“Just to reassure the communities of Southport, who I’m sure are really worried about ‘are we going to see this again tonight?’ – We are absolutely planning for tonight and the weekend ahead,” Serena Kennedy, chief constable, told reporters. Merseyside Police.

As well as killing three girls aged six to nine, Monday’s attack in the normally quiet town in northwest England saw eight other children stabbed. Five remained in critical condition in hospital, along with two adults who tried to protect them.

Police are legally restricted in the details they can release about the alleged teenage attacker, but have said the incident is not terrorism-related and that he was born in Britain, dispelling speculation about his origins.

That didn’t stop protesters, who police believe were supporters of a right-wing anti-Islamic, anti-immigrant group, from targeting the mosque and attacking police who tried to stop them.

“Out-of-towners”

Politicians and police said most of those involved in the violence were not from the area and that the clashes curtailed a large vigil attended by thousands to pay tribute to the young victims.

Police said 53 officers were injured, with eight hospitalized with serious injuries, including fractures and head injuries. Three police dogs were also injured.

The police chief said she was disgusted and appalled by the violence. Four men, aged between 31 and 39, were arrested and police were looking for others involved.

“They were there purely for hooliganism and thuggery in terms of bringing that level of violence and that behavior to the streets of Southport and that’s not what this community wants,” he said.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “violent thugs from the city” would “feel the full force of the law”.

On Wednesday, the streets of Southport were littered with bricks from broken walls, broken bottles, large rubbish bins and their contents. The charred asphalt was a witness to the police vehicles set on fire in the clashes a night earlier.

“What I saw last night was absolutely appalling… It was devastating and it’s kind of removed from what happened, which is the tragedy of these deaths,” local resident David Burgess told Sky News.

Meanwhile, Taylor Swift fans have so far raised more than £270,000 ($346,000) to help the families of the victims and the hospital where some of the children were being treated. ($1 = 0.7795 pounds)