Seeking to quell a surge of misinformation-fueled unrest, a British judge on Thursday took the unusual step of naming the 17-year-old suspect in a stabbing rampage that left three children dead and eight injured in northwestern England early this week. The suspect, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, appeared in a Liverpool court to face three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder. The stabbing spree, at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the town of Southport on Monday, stunned Britain and ignited two days of racially fueled riots, in multiple cities, that were incited by far-right provocateurs. Although the police announced that the suspect had been born in Cardiff, Wales, erroneous posts on social media claimed he was an undocumented immigrant, which triggered protests that reached almost to the gates of Downing Street.

Source: The Times August 01, 2024 14:31 UTC