Thousands of counterprotesters turned out across the United Kingdom yesterday in response to the country's worst riots in over a decade. Over 400 rioters had been arrested amid expanded prosecution protocols, with three people already sentenced to several years in prison.
Demonstrations primarily against migrant and Islamic communities began last week amid online posts suggesting a Muslim immigrant was responsible for the stabbing deaths of three young girls in Southport, England. The posts came despite officials identifying the suspect as a 17-year-old male born in the UK to Rwandan parents.
The day after the attack, groups gathered outside a mosque in Southport, confronting police and setting cars on fire; similar protests erupted in over 15 other cities since, from London to Belfast in Northern Ireland (see map). Dozens of officers have been injured.
The suspect was charged with three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. New reports revealed 63-year-old bystander John Hayes was stabbed as he confronted the assailant.
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