Nearly 39 police officers have been injured following riots which broke out in retaliation to a mass stabbing attack targeting children on Monday, Merseyside police have confirmed.
The rioting followed a mass stabbing in Southport at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club which claimed the lives of three little girls: Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven.
A 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder following the incident at the dance studio in Hart Street.
The ambulance service said 27 police officers were taken to hospital following the “shocking” scenes of violence as riots erupted on the streets of Southport on Tuesday evening.
Other officers suffered head injuries and serious facial injuries, and one was knocked unconscious, the PA news agency reports.
A statement on X said: “We treated 39 patients in total, all of which were police officers. 27 were taken to hospital and 12 were treated and discharged at scene.” Merseyside Police said eight officers suffered serious injuries including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose, and a concussion.
Three police dogs were also injured in the chaos, with Zoe and Ike suffering leg injuries from bricks thrown at them. A third dog, Quga – who was bitten, strangled and kicked by an offender at the beginning of this month – suffered burns to her back leg, the force said.