'It was terrifying': Southport mosque chairman recalls being trapped during riot

The chairman of the mosque attacked in violent disorder in Southport on Tuesday night has told ITV News the attack was “terrifying” and described the whole building shaking as missiles were thrown.

Ibrahim Hussein was inside the mosque with around eight others when he says “strangers” started shouting abuse and throwing missiles.

He said: “The whole building was shaking [because] of the missiles that they kept throwing, big bricks, and soon after they broke the fence, like you have seen outside, and they were using that to throw things at us.

“So, naturally it was a very, very unpleasant experience.”

He added that rioters “definitely” tried to break into the mosque, explaining his fears they would “burn it down”.

In the wake of the violence, Mr Hussein praised the Southport community for its support of the mosque, describing the rioters as “prejudiced” and “from outside Southport”.

“We’ve got beautiful neighbours, absolutely lovely neighbours, and the messages of support that we’ve got from them is incredible,” he added.

“So we knew them anyway and they know us, and they never have any trouble from us.”

More than 50 police officers were injured as a result of the violence, with 27 officers taken to hospital, according to North West Ambulance service.

Merseyside Police said eight officers suffered serious injuries, including fractures, lacerations, a suspected broken nose and concussion.

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Mr Hussein expressed his gratitude to the police for the support and protection they provided the mosque, and said he was “very upset and sorry about the casualties that the police took”.

He said: “We are so, so grateful to them [Southport community] and we are also so grateful to the police because at one point we thought they [rioters] are coming in and then the police pushed them back.

“And I’m very upset and sorry about the casualties that the police took because I know from myself that I’ve seen injured policemen and women, who were there just to keep the peace.”

Merseyside Police said “a large group of people – believed to be supporters of the English Defence League” – began to throw items, such as bricks, towards the mosque in the seaside town at about 7.45pm on Tuesday.

The rally took place hours after a vigil for three girls killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club on Monday.

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A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons because of his age, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder

Mr Hussein said the attack had left Southport’s Muslim community as “devastated as everybody else”, adding: “The attack itself is bad, but then when it’s children you say, ‘Why children? Why would anybody want to attack little children who did no harm to nobody?'”

He added he and other members of Southport’s Muslim community were frightened to attend the vigil.

“We’d have loved to be there, but we couldn’t do it and then, of course, we were worried that they [rioters] would come in here.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joined police authorities in condemning the violent protests, saying rioters had “hijacked” a vigil for victims and will “feel the full force of the law”.

The mother of one of the three girls to have died in Monday’s attack also criticised the protests, writing on social media: “we don’t need this”.

In a message widely shared online, Jenni Stancombe, the mother of seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, said: “This is the only thing that I will write, but please stop the violence in Southport tonight.”

Speaking about the police, Ms Stancombe added: “The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and they and we don’t need this.”

Chairman of the Merseyside Police Federation, Chris McGlade, condemned the “sustained and vicious attack” against police, saying: “Police officers are not robots. We are mothers and fathers. Sons and daughters. Husbands, wives and partners.

“We should be going home at the end of our shifts. Not to hospital.”

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), meanwhile, paid tribute to the victims of the mass stabbing, before condemning “shocking scenes of far-right rioters running amok outside a mosque”.

MCB secretary general, Zara Mohammed, said: “At a time of great tragedy, loss, and mourning, we must stand firm against the cynical forces of hatred and division.

“This does not represent our diverse Britain and the people of Southport.”

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