Southport riots: The case of mass stabbing that turned Britons against immigrants; triggered violent protests

The summer of 2024 saw the UK torn by waves of violence, sparked by a tragic stabbing at a dance class in Southport. Axel Rudakubana, then 17, carried out the horrific attack on 30 July during a Taylor Swift-themed dance session, killing three children and injuring eight others.

The mass stabbing set off a chain of events that led to nationwide riots, misinformation, and significant unrest.


In the wake of the attack, the spread of false information fueled tensions across the country.

Influencers, journalists' misleading claims

Social media posts, including from high-profile figures like influencer Andrew Tate and journalist Darren Grimes, falsely claimed the attacker was an asylum seeker who had recently arrived by boat. These unfounded allegations stoked anti-immigrant sentiment, further dividing public opinion.

Merseyside Police, in their first press conference, revealed that the suspect, Rudakubana, was from Cardiff, not from overseas, as misinformation had suggested.

However, as the police were unable to release further details due to the suspect's age, speculation continued to spread, amplifying the divisive narratives online.

On the evening of the attack, a crowd gathered outside a Southport mosque, which had no known ties to Rudakubana. Protests quickly escalated into violent clashes, with rioters throwing bricks at police and setting fire to a police van.

This marked the beginning of violent protests, with at least 93 police officers injured in the unrest that followed.

Violence that spread across UK

The violence, fueled by misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric, continued for days, affecting cities across the country, from London to Hartlepool.

The police struggled to contain the violence, with footage showing demonstrators, some reportedly linked to far-right groups, hurling projectiles at officers. As the protests spread, rioters targeted asylum seeker hotels, smashing windows and attacking police officers. In Rotherham, masked men stormed an asylum hotel, injuring multiple officers in the process.

Despite efforts to contain the violence, the unrest continued, with over 450 individuals later convicted for their involvement in the riots. Nearly half of those sentenced were under the age of 30, with a significant portion of offenders being teenagers. The charges ranged from violent disorder and assaulting emergency workers to racial hatred offenses.

Keir Starmer-led govt's response

The UK government responded to the escalating unrest by increasing security measures around mosques and other vulnerable sites. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer vowed to hold all those involved accountable, stating that they would “face the full force of the law.”

After months of legal proceedings, Rudakubana was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday, with a minimum term of 52 years. The court described his actions as a “pre-meditated attempt to commit indiscriminate mass murder.”

The sentence brought a measure of closure to the victims’ families, but it also served as a reminder of the broader social tensions and the dangerous consequences of misinformation.

As the country slowly recovers from the turmoil, the aftermath of the riots continues to be felt. With nearly 450 people convicted and sentenced, the UK faces the challenge of healing the divisions exposed by the tragic events in Southport and the subsequent unrest.