How the Southport tragedy sparked protests across the UK

The murder suspect of the tragedy that took place on July 29 in Southport, UK, has been named yet havoc continues in the streets as people protest, attacking the police.

The UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer warned social media firms that he will take “necessary action” to prevent violent riots, caused by online misinformation about the alleged criminal.

The suspect of the Southport tragedy officially named

By law, any defendants under 18 are entitled to anonymity but having caused riots across the UK, the Southport case was exempt from the norm. Protesters claimed that the suspect was Muslim and/or an immigrant; the demonstrations quickly took an anti-Islamist turn, as protesters attacked the Southport mosque.

Judge Andrew Menary KC stated that he could no longer conceal the suspect´s name, as it would back the protesters who “spread misinformation.” He also noted that the suspect will turn 18 on August 7.

The identified 17-year-old, Axel Rudakubana was officially claimed to be the suspect, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, despite the common belief that he was a Muslim immigrant. He was charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and one of possession of a bladed article.

The prosecution stated that he had an “autism spectrum disorder diagnosis” and had been “unwilling to leave the house and communicate with family for a period of time.” Rudakubana´s neighbours described him as “quiet” and “normal.” A video from six years ago resurfaced on the internet, with the suspect featured as an 11-year-old in a BBC children´s campaign.

No plea was entered but a provisional trial date, lasting six weeks was scheduled for January 20. At the moment, Rudakubana remains in youth custody.

Anti-Islamist misinformation about the Southport tragedy

It was the gravity of the horrific crime on children which caused such desperate demands for the naming of the murder suspect. However, the Islamophobic and anti-immigrant residents of the UK took the tragedy as a chance to make unjustified claims, spreading false claims about the suspect´s origin and falsely naming him as “Ali al-Shakati.”

Marc Owen Jones, an associate professor of Middle Eastern Studies at Doha´s Hamad bin Khalifa University tracked the social media discourse on the day after the incident, stating there had been “at least 27 million impressions for posts stating or speculating that the attacker was Muslim, a migrant, refugee or a foreigner.”

PM´s response to the protests across the UK

The British Prime Minister then issued a warning to social media companies; “Let me also say to large social media companies and those who run them; violent disorder, clearly whipped up online, that is also a crime, it´s happening on your premises, and the law must be upheld everywhere. That is the single most important duty of government, service rests on security. We will take all necessary action to keep our streets safe.”

Starmer dencounced the “violent thugs” who attacked the police in London and beyond and who had gone out protesting against the Muslim community. London´s Metropolitan Police stated that 111 people had been arrested for offences including violent disorder and assaults on police.

The PM emphasised that the protests had long since lost their relation to the Southport horror; “This is not a protest that just got out of hand. It is a group of individuals who are absolutely bent on violence.”