Southport stabbings: Violence on streets as protesters attack mosque and torch police van

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A number of clashes have been reported on the streets of Southport as protesters gathered outside a mosque after yesterday's children's dance party knife attacks that saw three girls killed.A police van appears to have been torched by the protesters, who have also been seen kicking down walls and picking up loose bits of stones to throw at police who had gathered this evening, Tuesday, July 30.

People dressed in black were also seen jumping on top of police van while a blaze has also believed to have started during the violence, reports the Mirror.The protesters have gathered around five minutes away from the scene of this evening's vigil which saw huge crowds gather to remember the young victims.

Police later claimed the group was amde up of members of the right-wing English Defence League.A witness living near the protest said: "A man knocked on our door screaming for help, his head was split open and pouring with blood."He was asking for a towel to help stop the blood.

Someone had thrown a brick towards police and it hit him in the face. It was terrifying, my young child was stood behind me and seen it."An angry mob of men, many of them masked, clashed with cops outside the mosque as more armed police arrived.Some officers were injured in the chaos and the building is thought to have had its windows smashed, with rioters having thrown stones, bottles and bricks.Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said it was “appalling” police officers in Southport were facing attacks from “thugs on the streets who have no respect for a grieving community”, adding: “It’s a total disgrace”.A spokesperson for Mersyeside Police claimed supporters of the English Defence League were behind the unrest.Assistant Chief Constable Alex Goss said: “It