At the end of July 2024, in a UK city, three children died from stab wounds during a dance class. Soon, information spread across social media that the perpetrator was an asylum seeker from the Middle East. We have verified the accuracy of such publications.
July 29, man armed with a knife burst in for a dance class in the town of Southport in the county of Merseyside in the west of Great Britain. He killed three and seriously injured eight children. Two teachers who tried to protect their students were also seriously injured. The attacker was detained. Local police said his motives were being investigated, but there was no reason to consider the incident a terrorist attack.
Some Russian-language Telegram channels clarified that the attacker was from the Middle East. “Armed with a knife, a refugee from Syria burst into the room where dance and yoga classes were being held for children and began slaughtering everyone while shouting “Allahu Akbar!” reported channel “Russia Now” (202,000 views at the time of writing this analysis). Similar posts appeared in the channels “Uncle Slava" (194,000) and "Putin on Telegram"(192,000), as well as in the profiles of social network users X. In turn, the channel “Russian Sword” (57,000 views) in a publication entitled “Islamist killed Christian children again” calls The criminal's name is Ali Al-Shaqati. The authors of the post emphasize that the “terrorist” was an illegal migrant who came to the UK about a year ago.
In the evening, shortly after the attack, Merseyside Police reported details about the identity of the detainee. He turned out to be a 17-year-old resident of Banks, a suburb of Southport. It is known that the young man was born in Wales. Other details about the detainee to be disclosed by the department can't under British law, since he has not yet reached the age of majority. The same restrictions apply to the media.
IN statement police report released the next day said the alleged name of the detainee circulating on social media was incorrect. The agency urged Internet users “not to speculate about the details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing.” August 1 to the detainee were presented charges of murder and attempted murder.
How writes BBC, the youth who attacked the children had lived in and around Southport since around 2013. His parents are immigrants from Rwanda. Neither the British authorities nor reputable local publications reported the detainee's religion. By data According to the 2022 census in Rwanda, Islam in this country is professed by about 2% of the population.
The Telegraph newspaper, without naming the name of the detainee, assertsthat she talked to his neighbors. They described the young man as an introvert, and called his family ordinary and quiet. Moreover, journalists also cite comments from Cardiff residents who lived near this family - it is alleged that as a child, the suspect sang in a church choir with his father.
The primary source of the news that children were attacked by a Syrian refugee who arrived in the UK in 2023 appears to be the resources of the British far-right, found out The Guardian newspaper. That the criminal's name was Ali Al-Shaqati, wrote news site Channel 3 Now, which does not disclose the names of its staff, editors or owners. The note was subsequently deleted, and the unnamed editor-in-chief published column with apologies.
The spread of rumors about the Arab origin and Muslim religion of the detainee led to right-wing radical actions in Southport. On the evening of July 30th from 200 to 300 people gathered at a mosque located in the city and soon began throwing stones and bottles at the police. More than 50 law enforcement officers were injured, and five rioters were arrested.
“Last night we saw people come into town from all over the country, stirred up by social media and then driven into a frenzy, causing them to attack the very people everyone had earlier that day celebrated as heroes who had run towards danger. It leaves a very bitter aftertaste that these people think they can come here and divide our community,” said Steve Rotheram, head of the Liverpool metropolitan area.
There is therefore no evidence that children at a dance class in Southport were killed by a Syrian refugee. According to police and reputable British media, the detainee is a British-born son of Rwandan immigrants. Because the suspect is only 17 years old, his identity is being withheld in accordance with British child protection laws.
Cover photo: The Squiz
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