Hundreds of pounds have been raised to fund repairs to the mosque, which was damaged during the riot, as work to rebuild the damage begins.
Rioters threw bricks at the Southport Islamic Centre on Tuesday night as a protest escalated into violence, leaving 53 police officers injured. These shameful events followed Monday’s horrific stabbings at a dance studio, which killed three girls and left several others critically injured, and were hijacked by far-right thugs.
Merseyside Police emphasized that a 17-year-old suspect in the stabbings was born in the UK, dispelling misinformation about the suspect’s identity. Despite this, Tuesday’s protest descended into violence and vandalism, with bricks, bottles, and street furniture thrown at officers and police dogs, and a police van set on fire.
Members of the town’s Muslim community were left to deal with the aftermath on Wednesday, with Merseyside Police chief Serena Kennedy among those helping to rebuild a wall outside the mosque. A local resident has started a fundraiser to help repair the building and “restore the safe space.”
As of 5 pm on Wednesday, more than £1,000 had been raised, with locals and members of the public donating in solidarity. The fundraiser, set up by Phoenix Lawson, aims to “rebuild or relocate the mosque and create a stable, safe, and peaceful place of worship for all Muslims.”
Phoenix, 20, said, “It is the only mosque in Southport. It is the only place they can pray peacefully and it’s just been destroyed. Three panels of the mosque’s windows were smashed, and the brick wall outside was demolished. It’s a very unsafe environment for a lot of Muslims now. Friday prayer is two days away, and after such a massive raid, I don’t think they’re going to want to go there.”
Merseyside Police confirmed on Wednesday that they had arrested four men in their thirties on suspicion of violent disorder, including one who was also held on suspicion of affray and possession of a bladed article. The force said offenders “destroyed garden walls to use the bricks as missiles to attack officers” and set cars belonging to the public on fire “at random.”
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