King Charles meets Southport stabbing survivors

KING CHARLES travelled to northern England on Tuesday (20) to pay tribute to victims and families of those affected by a mass stabbing last month which sparked riots and racist attacks targeting Muslims and migrants.

On a visit to Southport, the town where the attack took place, Charles met some of the surviving children and their families, before later meeting representatives from local emergency services and community groups.

The 75-year-old monarch looked at flowers and toys that had been left in memory of the victims of the attack, to cheers and applause from the gathered crowds.

Three young girls were killed and others were wounded in the July 29 attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class, which sparked the riots after online misinformation wrongly said it had been committed by an Islamist migrant.

A 17-year-old male, who the police said was born in Britain, was charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and one of possession of a bladed article.

King Charles meets with people affected by and family members of the victims of a mass stabbing attack, during a community visit, in Southport, Britain, August 20, 2024. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja

Charles has praised the community spirit, compassion and resilience that countered aggression and criminality from the rioters, and said he hoped mutual respect and understanding would continue to unite the nation.

Buckingham Palace said he wanted to thank "frontline emergency staff for their ongoing work serving local people".

Charles had earlier been criticised by some including historian Kate Williams for not issuing a public statement on the riots.

Although the monarch conveyed his condolences to the families of the three girls killed, he did not comment on the unrest until nearly two weeks later.

Traditionally, the monarch does not comment on anything that could cause political controversy.

But in calls with prime minister Keir Starmer and police chiefs, the king later said he had been "greatly encouraged" by the reaction "that countered the aggression and criminality from a few with the compassion and resilience of the many".

Footage showed the king waving to people as he walked through the town centre.

He was later set to meet regional leaders, representatives from the emergency services and others.

They will include local groups and faith leaders impacted by the violent disorder which hit Southport the day after the July 29 mass stabbing.

Charles was also due to meet privately with some of those caught up in the knife attack, which claimed the lives of three young girls, aged six, seven and nine, and injured 10 others, eight of them also children.

A motive for the atrocity has not been disclosed, but police have said it is not being treated as terrorism-related.

More than a dozen English towns and cities saw unrest and riots in the week that followed the events in Southport.

Officials have blamed far-right elements for helping to stir up the disorder, which targeted mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers as well as police officers and other properties.

In the immediate aftermath of the July 29 tragedy, Charles and Queen Camilla conveyed their condolences to the families of three girls killed, but did not comment on the near-daily riots which followed for some time.

It was also reported that the King was receiving daily briefings about the national situation when the disorder was at its height.

The riots have led to more than a thousand arrests and hundreds of convictions, after Starmer vowed those who participated would be quickly called to account.

(Agencies)