Teenager Charged With Triple Murder Over Southport Stabbings, Protests Continue

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The Facts

  • Axel Muganwa Rudakubana has been charged with the murder of three girls — Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine — at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on Monday.

  • This comes as the suspect, who has also been charged with the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults as well as possession of a bladed article, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday.


The Spin

Left narrative

A minority of far-right extremists has weaponized the horrific killing of three children in Southport to spread misinformation about the suspect on social media and promote anti-immigration, anti-Muslim riots in a bid to claim that British society isn't a successful multi-ethnic one despite its high levels of integration. This is an attack on the rule of law, and one that shows that social media companies are failing their legal obligations to prevent such content.

Right narrative

Riots and misinformation in the wake of the Southport stabbings are nothing less than outrageous, period. All this violence, however, must not be used to disrespect a sorrowing community that has every right to be angry after such a heinous act took place in their town. It's time to stop pretending that everything is fine in the UK and finally address worries common to many Britons, not just violent agitators, about immigration and the challenges of diversity and integration.


Metaculus Prediction


Public figures in this story


Political split

LEFT

RIGHT