King Charles III meets survivors of child stabbings that sparked riots

 

Britain's King Charles III reacts as he views tributes outside Southport Town Hall, during his visit to meet with members of the local community, following the July 29 attack at a childrens' dance party, in Southport, northwest England, on August 20, 2024. [AFP]

King Charles III offered his "deepest" sympathies Tuesday as he met survivors of a devastating UK knife attack that killed three young girls and sparked nationwide anti-immigration riots.

The 75-year-old monarch inspected a vast sea of floral tributes laid outside Southport town hall in memory of the victims -- Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine.

All three died in the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the town just over three weeks ago which also left ten people injured, eight of them children.

As well as the children, the king also met their families and police liaison officers working with them.

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

Charles had earlier been criticised by some 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".

Charles spent about 45 minutes meeting survivors before signing a book of condolence in the town hall.

He signed his name, adding: "In deepest sympathy."

Outside the building before he left, he met members of the community who had helped in the aftermath of the attack.

Joanne Martlew, a retired emergency service worker who helped survivors after coming across the aftermath of the attack said it had been "brilliant to see the King".

Helen Marshall, 71, a member of a gardening group looking after the many floral tributes added that his visit was "very important" to the seaside town.

"We're under a cloud and we need something to boost morale," she said.

"The last few weeks have been devastating but the community spirit is the thing keeping us going," she said.

The children were attending the dance class at the start of the school summer holidays when an assailant entered the building and began attacking them.

Axel Rudakubana, who was aged 17 at the time, has been charged with murder and attempted murder over the stabbing spree.

Arrests

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

The authorities have cited misinformation spread online that Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker for fuelling the violence.

He was actually born in Britain to parents who hail from Rwanda, an overwhelmingly Christian country.

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

The king is due to meet with the three bereaved families in London on Wednesday.