There are riots in England over the killing of children

The riots broke out shortly after a funeral ceremony attended by Southport residents. Several hundred men threw stones, bottles and other objects at the local mosque. Police officers who tried to stop them were also hit.

Thirty-nine police officers were injured, of whom 27 were hospitalised. Nine of its employees suffered serious injuries - fractures, cuts and contusions.

A 17-year-old boy, born in the Welsh capital, Cardiff, and living in the village of Banks near Southport, has been arrested on suspicion of assault, the British BBC reported. His parents are originally from Rwanda.

The attacker's motives remain unknown and British police are not treating the incident as an act of terrorism.

According to a witness, the attacker arrived in Southport town centre in a taxi and refused to pay for the ride. He was wearing a mask. He then attacked younger schoolchildren attending a dance club with a knife.

Two girls died from their stab wounds and another girl later died in hospital. The five injured children are in critical condition. The girl who died in hospital was nine years old, the other two killed were six and seven years old.

Also in hospital with serious injuries are two adults. According to police, they were "heroically trying to protect the children."

Police are trying to avoid references to Islam and Muslims in their statements.

The Liverpool Area Mosque Network organisation said on social media X that the local Muslim community had nothing to do with the killing of children in Southport.

Southport is a seaside resort town 27 kilometres north of Liverpool, with a population of around 94,500, of whom just over a thousand are Muslim.